For King:
This is Chieti, a (small) city in the center of Italy, about 150 km far from Rome. Try to find it on Google Earth or Google Maps!
It's the city where i was born and where actually i live.
Thank you for the suggestions!

Indeed... Great mood.

@Giancarlo, Found Chieti...may my wife and I come visit you? We love Italy. We spent a recent Christmas in Rome, then drove a large loop through the Tuscan countryside, visiting the hill towns (e.g., Montalcino), major cities, and the west coast. Beautiful land and wonderful people.
Congratulations on your well-earned featured image!

Other then cropping the sign out on left and the plus sign on top this is one awesome image. Very inspiring. I love the fact that it is not only rain, but rain at night. Two subjects not photographed often, and not often this well. Kudos.

@Dan...I think what you call the "plus sign" adds something to this photo. It mirrors the crossed vertical and horizontal lines found many places in the image, it could be seen as a "cross" or some kind of mystical or religious symbol, thus adding to the atmospheric qualities, it points down and into the photograph, so drawing the eye, and reinforces the wedge of lights that draw the eye to the center of the image.
However, I agree that if the crop were pretty tight on the figure, with just three globular lights above the central figure and only part of the darkest cars on the left--that would be awesome.

Imho, and I am far from being anyone who can profess a depth of knowledge in all the necessary areas of photography...aren't you all getting a bit picky over this image. We live in a society with Pharmacies, cars and dodgy umbrellas. Sometimes you just have to take the image on its merits. If I had my wishes, King, I'd be putting up a ground-breaking images everytime, lol. Sorry to be "over-sesitive", but I think we over-analyse images a little bit on this site. No it's not a pulitzer prize winner, but it's got great atmosphere, and tells a story.

This is one of the strongest entries in this theme. There is a powerful narrative in this image. Let your imagination start working forget the technicalities. I think some of you guys have got too much time on your hands, you need to get a life, a bit more realism and a bit less negativity is needed here.

Not all rain comes down like a monsoon. Well done Giancarlo.

@psychodudu and digiphotology (couldn't you get user names easier to type? </joke>)
I don't see anyone getting picky. Everyone is encouraged to share his or her thoughts. Cropping is a time-honored and and important part of image-making.

I think Dan (dcreighton...an excellent professional photographer) declared the image to be "awesome" other than for a couple of elements he felt detracted. I made more than a half dozen favorable remarks berfore I offered any criticism at all--more than either of you--and I can't see any reason to criticise those who took the time to honestly appraise this inspriring photograph. Our ratings helped get it featured.

Do you think this or any other image submitted to WeeklyShot is perfect and above constructive criticism? None of mine are, and I welcome perceptive comments, critical or not.

@psychodudu...I think it is quite evident that Dan and I took Giancarlo's image on it's merits.

@digiphotology...get a life yourself. There is no need for putdowns in this venue, let alone insipid truisms.

For those who are tempted to take digiphotology's suggestion for more realism and less negativity...here are two of his recent comments:

"Lacks contras. needs a vignette burn particularly the foreground to disguise the irritating out of focus area. Pity could have been in the running, have another go."

And, for the essence of pithiness, this:
"Sorry, Dude."

Oh dear, talk about rocking the boat! I can quite honestly say, that having seen some of the wayward and "barely relevant" images for the last few themes, and reading some of the comments that come in from the firmly established "cliques" that seem to have developed here, SOME of you have begun to develop an over-active, disproprtionate idea of just HOW much critique an image needs. If it were up to you guys this image would have no earthly resemblance to the one featured. Between you all you have managed to dissect this image so much, I'm suprised the photographer in question, thought it was worth seeing it featured at all in the end.

King, I have the greatest respect for you, and indeed all the subscribers here, but you need to find the balance between where constructive criticism is helpful or just down-right depressing. I think you need to take a step back sometimes and just enjoy the images for what they are, and indeed allow the reasons why you gave it such a high rating stand alone. You do NOT need to offer your considered opinion every single flipping time. Do you see what I mean. Like the man says - get a life.

psychodudu, Thank you for your great respect, a comment which, considering the balance of your remarks, I find to be insincere.

psychodudu said, "...you need to find the balance between where constructive criticism is helpful or just down-right depressing."

Giancarlo, did my suggestions cause you to be depressed?

psychodudu said, " I think you need to...just enjoy the images for what they are, and indeed allow the reasons why you gave it such a high rating stand alone."

I find that remark to be decidedly anti-intellectual, yet you appear to be striving to be thoughtful.

psychodudu said, "You do NOT need to offer your considered opinion every single flipping time."

You have not been paying attention. The bulk of my comments are strictly in praise of the image as submitted, with no constructive criticism whatsover. Your use of the euphemism "flipping" is merely another insult...what's the point in that? Did I insult you?

psychodudu said, "Like the man says - get a life."
You could at least come up with original insults.

Don't start trying to intellectualise what is essentially a straight forward difference of opinions. It doesn't go that deep, and it certainly isn't necessary for you to be a smart-alec and start second-guessing why I use one word instead of another. Moderating one's language is, I would have thought, to be praised rather than frowned upon.
And if you wanted to offer some criticism which is constructive, and has some value in terms of teaching people how they should present their images, you would have done well to call into question the relevance of image #1 in this theme. I see it as a possible role you need to adopt in suggesting to people that an image is either relevant or not. In my opinion there is an enormous difference in the way themes are interpreted.

Folks, here's psychodudu's remark about Ana's honest submission, #1 in this theme. I think it is insolent, at best, but you be the judge:

"If the theme were stormy weather, then this would be a fairly good contribution, but it's not. There is no rain in this image, Ana, you're leaving us to have to guess that part. Sorry, that your ego has been stung by the comments I made on your last featured image, but you need to be able to swallow that sort of criticism. If you're going to come and trash my images because of that, then you need to grow up a bit."

oh King. You missed the best comment from the man who says: "just enjoy the images for what they are"

To me he said, "I have to say I didn't actually see ANY rain in your first image, or wait, was it in the cloud?!
Not to be too argumentative, but your image I've also seen a thousand times, done much better too (although I loved the skyline in yours).
At least I have tried to do something a little innovative, with "water". I think we've seen just how many interpretations of themes we can expect, I have no problem with that, really, just that the task should be defined a little more precisely, so people know where they stand.
When the theme is RAIN, you should actually try and submit a picture of a scene with rain in it."

I don't see anything insolent in the comment made to Ana. In context with what went on before that, it's completely legitimate. In terms of the theme, my comment is also correct although some of the contributors here choose to constantly "misinterpret" what is required, and I find that frustrating. Seems there already exists a little band of friends from what I've been reading in the WeeklyShot Google group, so I fully expect to be ganged up on soon....lol. However, I would rather not drag this out. I don't (do any of us) have the time for this? If we can agree the each party has some valid points to make, I'd gladly stop here, an go and run a bath for my daughter (she's going to make some rain for me...)!

Sorry to interfere: while I often find some comments way too picky, the suggestion about cropping this image makes perfect sense to me. Beyond this point, my ego has also been stung by some comments until I realized some of the rudest remarks were made by sixteen years old wankers (pardon me) who never posted a decent image. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing again these folks (I've been young too) as long as they do their thing in private. Some comments (like: "boring", or "this sucks"), are unbearable. And if they come from grown up wankers, that's even worse...

Unfortunately i don't understand all the words that are used in this discussion. I have only a basic knowledge of the english language.
Tomorrow i'll buy an english-italian dictionary!!! :-)

But Philippe, that's not what I have been doing, nor I hope what any of us involved in this debate are want to do here at WeeklyShot. I'm campaigning for a little balance in things, a little consensus on how we go about choosing themes, interpreting the themes, and then commenting on contributions. I admit, I have waded in with my size 9, here, and on Ana's contributions, with some perhaps overly strong, and slightly controversial comments. I feel, however, that the debate this has created has been of a certain value, even if it's to realise that one is not welcome to suggest to people that perhaps critique of any kind is appropriate (red-face here). I dearly do not wish to create serious disharmony here, so I suggest that we all merely part amicably not having found any common ground for further discussion, and continue to post our images. Thankyou all for your insights and opinions. Well done Giancarlo, on your featured image.

But Philippe, that's not what I have been doing, nor I hope what any of us involved in this debate are want to do here at WeeklyShot. I'm campaigning for a little balance in things, a little consensus on how we go about choosing themes, interpreting the themes, and then commenting on contributions. I admit, I have waded in with my size 9, here, and on Ana's contributions, with some perhaps overly strong, and slightly controversial comments. I feel, however, that the debate this has created has been of a certain value, even if it's to realise that one is not welcome to suggest to people that perhaps critique of any kind is appropriate (red-face here). I dearly do not wish to create serious disharmony here, so I suggest that we all merely part amicably not having found any common ground for further discussion, and continue to post our images. Thankyou all for your insights and opinions. Well done Giancarlo, on your featured image.

I was chastised for trying to make a discussion board out of someones featured image. I was pointedly informed that there is in fact a discussion board. I tend to agree, this image is worth so much more than the sniping. I love this, it seems charged, as if the subject is Gene Kelly, waiting to burst into song. Lovely image, the commentary, not so. I look forward to viewing an image by psychodudu, worthy of a feature...

Psychodudu, I was not talking specifically about you, I was thinking of previous experiences. I'm not a little controversy as long as we keep some sense of humour...
Oh, and I forgot to mention I really like this picture, too. I also think about "Singing in the rain", although the atmosphere is darker here... "The third man", maybe (but it's in B&W)?

More darker, more darker!!! I think to Father Merrin of "The Exorcist"!!! :-)

@Ana, I thought your image of the port-a-potty connected to the boat while both were being lifted out of the water on a cable was one of the best images in the "Phone" theme. So much for relevance.

More darker, more darker!!! I think to Father Merrin of "The Exorcist"!!! :-)

"The exorcist"! Of course! :o)

More darker, more darker!!! I think to Father Merrin of "The Exorcist"!!! :-)

Sorry for the multiple posting.. :-(

First I think this image is the standout image "so far" in this theme uncropped or cropped. I think I made my point that I thought it was awesome, inspiring, and more while offering a suggestion for what I think would be a better image. If I would have had the chance to rate this image it would have been mostly 5's if not all 5's. I am absolutely amazed at how some cannot handle suggestions to improve an image based on anothers viewpoint. There are very few images that cannot be improved in some way and sometimes anothers point of view can lead to a new way of thinking when taking a photo, or working with a photo, later. That is how you improve. I for one would love suggestions and critique on my images instead of just fast "great image" replies or no reply at all when they aren't. For instance King's retort to my suggestion to crop the + sign out got me to look at the image at a different level and think about it more. That is a damn good thing IMHO. Isn't that what this site is supposed to be about?

Secondly- I'm a newcomer here and I don't know anyone on this site to my knowledge before I started participating. I don't see any "clicks" but I have seen some short snyde comments that were totally inappropriate and further from posters who have been members from some time but have few images posted themselves. That just isn't cool and I'm surprised with the invites only system they haven't been uninvited by the powers that be.

Third- I'm obviously guilty of this too having commented above but perhaps we should let Giancarlo's image enjoy the spotlight it deserves and not based on this conversation/debate and take it to the Google Group discussion board.

Giancarlo- Great image, great feel, and great job seeing it and capturing it. I look forward to seeing more fine images from you.

cropped or uncropped... it is brilliant