[NT73]

Inspired by Toads Cafe shots Passing this cafe I decided to return and take a couple of photos.
So I came through a closed market to the door opposite. Unfortunately the rain was lashing into the doorway, and I did not wish to get soaked. (Me not the camera ) So standing behind a fixed glass panel, and waiting for people to walk through and open the automatic door, this is what I came up with.
Say what you will I can take it.

[smarti77]

I have to give you credit for the effort you've gone to get this shot NT.
Unfortunately for all of us, Toad has set a high standard with his cafe shots that is very hard to follow. One thing I like about this shot (and Toads) is the light / safe / warm inside v's the cold / wet / miserable outside.
I think the outside is a bit bright and distracts from the inside scene which I think is the centre piece of this type of image.

I hope you dont mind me having a go at an edit... just a quick hack as an example on what I'm trying to say.

[NT73]

Actually I had cropped it at the top to remove the white building, and my wife shouted "teas ready".
And we daren't carry on, so I lost it and started again after tea.
I am putting a little pic on to show where I was really. On the left outside is a newspaper seller clinging to the window (it was a very heavy shower) ,and inside is me behind a metal barrier. The auto doors are to my right.

I think what I was trying to get at, was the heavy rain and gloom and an Italian type cafe. And I know I have along way to go to Toads standard, and quite a few others here also.
But thanks for the critique.

[Toad]

Het NT - thanks for the kind words on my cafe shots. I see what you are getting at here, and its an interestig experiment. I have never been able to capture rain properly, and I usually fake it in with brushes or actions. If you don't overdo it, it allows you to *see* a little rain in the air without overwealming the photo. This would work particulalry well with your second shot where the splattering on the concrete is more obvious.

Back to your cafe... I think that Smarti is correct in that the gist of a cafe shot (at least the way I do them) is to make the cafe look more inviting inside then outside. I tend to do this by taking the photos at night (as in Smarti's edit) where the dark and coolness of the outside contrasts with the light and gaity inside. In your case, the rain is a natural motivator to go inside - so the next step is to make the inside look more inviting. I did this by increasing the light, contrast and saturation inside, and by cropping it closer to minimize the viewer's option to stay outdoors. If you look at my cafe shots, I rarely show much outdoors unless there is something really relevant to the shot in it (the Eiffell Tower, vespas etc.)

Here is my edit:

[NT73]

I like both Toad's and Smarti's versions, although the intended shot would have been in full sunlight. Never mind it is good practise for me.

The reason I was in town was to purchase a small backpack and after looking at quite a few brands in three good photo shops I finished up with the lowepro microtrecker 200. It says it is waterproof and does not have a waterproof cover like my other bag. I wasn't dressed to test it.