I think I can speak for all of us when I say that Benjamin Cruz totally nailed this urban photo!
There are simply countless elements in this visual that make it stand out. However the most prominent element is likely the wide range of colors that can be observed in the scene, added by the strength of the vibrance that each hue offers. Vibrance is a term that describes the intensity of only the otherwise muted colors in a scene (versus saturation which refers to ALL the colors in a scene).
Like many other topics we have discussed before, this is a double edged sword. Too much vibrance, and especially saturation, can turn a vivid photo into a messy, blotchy, and otherwise ununatural image. Unfortunately, I found myself to be a perpetrator of this crime numerous times when I began learning photography!
This image avoids such a fate through several avenues. Firstly, the scene itself is colorful. Red tail lights, white lights in office buildings, yellow street lamps, and green signal lights can all attest to this. Secondly, there is contrast between the darkness of the bench and brightness of the intersection – the former accentuates the latter. Thirdly, the utilization of reflections, once again, by the bench.
In summary, a slight increase in the vibrancy of the intersection is magnified several times over by dark reflecting surfaces that simultaneously give the photo contrast, thereby avoiding what could have been an blotchy cartoon.
Great work Ben!
Photographer: Benjamin Cruz
https://www.bencruzphotography.com/
https://www.instagram.com/Thelensoftruth/
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