Whether the sign is a problem or not probably depends to some extent on whether you consciously included it in the image, or whether it just accidently slipped in. It lies more or less on the line joining the two men, so I suppose it's not too distracting compositionally; there's also the added interest of the fact that the sign has something to do with cyclists but there's a pedestrian walking past it. If you like your compositions with three elements rather than two, the presence of the sign is OK. If you'd prefer the sign not to be there, then you have a problem :-)
Hi Matej, thanks for your thoughtful comment! The title is kind of personal for me, and I understand it is difficult to decipher really. The title came from his somewhat hopeless disengaged facial expression in combination with a little heated discussion I had with a woman the evening before. :)
The sign is kind of in the way, granted! :)
It is very interesting to read your thoughts around the picture! Thanks.
Since this is meant to be a PS manipulated image, I would really like to see these two men be the same man. Whether done by double exposure, a blending of two images, or cut&paste, I think it would give the photo more punch, especially with regard to the title. Now that would be a decision - stay in place, or walk away - two very different alternatives.
Right now, I'm not quite sure how the title relates to the content of the photograph. I see the man in the foreground as clearly the main subject, but to me he doesn't really look like he's thinking about anything important, making any decisions. His expression, in combination with his casual clothes, tell me that he's just gazing at the river or something, and enjoying the view and the sunny day.
OK, maybe the two men are meant to represent two decisions taken many years in the past, as a result of which one of them can now just relax, while the other one still has to go to the office every day, carrying his briefcase in one hand and his suit in the other?
Compositionally, I like the positioning of both men in the image. I'm not sure about the strong tilt and the inclusion of the yellow-red traffic sign.
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{K:24381} 9/22/2003