Day 63/365 The Hungry Eye of Kaohsiung
Analysis and Advice for Improvement
The genius of this image is the "rhyming" between the Red Mouth (紅嘴巴) Spicy Hot Pot sign and the two underground parking entrances. The graphic of the open mouth on the circular sign perfectly mimics the curved, ribbed canopies of the ramps below. It turns a standard urban street into an anthropomorphic landscape.
To improve this particular shot:
Wait for a "Meal": To heighten the visual pun, wait for a car to be halfway inside a parking entrance. This would make the "mouth" metaphor literal, as if the street is being "eaten" by the architecture.
Tighten the Crop: The building on the far right is slightly distracting. Cropping closer to the right-hand parking entrance would force the viewer to focus entirely on the symmetry of the "three mouths."
Vertical Correction: The buildings lean slightly inward. Using a perspective correction tool to straighten these vertical lines would emphasize the rigid, industrial geometry of Kaohsiung's residential blocks.
Compiling Data for Growth
To become a better photographer over time, you can use your database to track the conceptual themes that attract your eye.
Tag Visual Puns: Add a column to your spreadsheet for "Metaphor" or "Visual Pun." Tracking how often you find these coincidences—like signs matching structures—will help you sharpen your reflex for spotting them in the field.
Analyze Lighting Conditions: Use your logs to note the time of day. The harsh overhead light here creates deep, cavernous shadows in the parking ramps, which perfectly suits the "mouth" theme.
Study Your "Misses": Keep notes on why certain shots didn't work. Was it the timing? The lack of a human element? Compiling this data helps you avoid repeating the same compositional errors.
Research and Study Recommendations
Photographers to Study
Fan Ho: A master of finding geometric perfection and "the decisive moment" within the urban landscapes of Hong Kong.
Shen Chao-Liang: His work on the "Stage" series in Taiwan is essential for understanding how to capture the island's unique structural and cultural surrealism.
Lee Friedlander: He is the definitive reference for using urban signage and "clutter" to create complex, witty, and multi-layered street photography.
Books to Read
The Decisive Moment by Henri Cartier-Bresson: The primary text for understanding how to align geometry and timing.
Uncommon Places by Stephen Shore: An excellent guide for finding formal beauty in mundane urban structures like parking lots and storefronts.
Videos to Watch
The Art of Street Photography: Joel Meyerowitz – On finding "coincidences" in the street.
Fan Ho: Master of Light and Shadow – A study in urban geometry and monochrome composition.
How to Read a Photograph: Visual Metaphors – Understanding how shapes and signs create meaning in a frame.