Flagship store at The Grove at Farmers Market, Los Angeles.

Which one are you?

RAZZ

That's very good and B+W is absolutely ideal. I believe you've still got a bit more detail in there you can bring out in post processing though viz, perspective alignment and lifting the shadows on the faces a little to enhance the eye contact. I think I'd also crop the right hand side out as it's unnecessary and would also make the image stronger with the "rule of 3rds"

But what a great composition.

Thanks for the compliment.

Details seems to have been lost in the process of downsizing the photo and uploading it to the forum. I suppose the original RAW file contains more detail, but this is as good as it gets processing it with Silkypix, applying lowest possible contrast. I guess I could have adjusted the tone a bit brighter to bring out the detail in shadow but then the detail in high light area would be lost (male model's upper torso) . Vividness of color has been lost in the process so I processed it into B&W. Shine of southern California is so bright and intense (more so than in LOS), it was so difficult to get the equillibrium in EV between high light and shadow area in frame, and seems to be way beyond the dynamic range of most digital cameras including dSLR. Many photos of my wife turned out with strong shadow on her face or else too bright background that you can't even tell where she is. I should have used a fill-in flash to eliminate the shadow but I think I was too lazy to.

What is "rule of 3rds"?

Rule of 1/3rds - Google it.

Basically make 9 squares on your image by drawing two imaginary lines vertically and horizontally. There will then be 4 intersections on the 1/3rd divisions. These 4 points make the strongest impact when subject matter is placed on them.

Anyway I've adjusted the image a little to create a story line. Opening up the stairs suggests this is were they may next be going or were they've just come from!

Lifted the faces a little also

Cropped it to delete right side - also a little nearer the above rule

Squared it up a little

Hope you approve

IMHO

Rough example of the Rule of 1/3rds

Rough example of the Rule of 1/3rds

Shouldn't that be called rule of 4/9th?

So is this what they teach in photography 101? If so I don't remember it.

Cropping is fine, but I always have some hesitation about changing the aspect ratio for some reason.

Good job bringing out the detail without losing it in high light area.