To fanni: Yes!

[stevenmelissa]

Elena, you've hit it exactly - I agree that this photo is missing something, and "lifeless" is a very good descriptor, although I'm not sure why either. I've tried different crops, looked at it in B&W, and it always retains that same lifeless feeling. Even though I am satisfied with the overall composition, the path itself is lacking in some essential element. Thanks for your perceptive comments.

Best regards, Steve

[fanni]

Hi Steve,
thanks for the prompt response!
well, in my comments I tend to express what I actually feel when looking at a photo... This "lifeless feeling" came immediately at the very first look.
Anyway I have a supposition... I'll try to explain now.

Each place (on the earth) has its own energy, and we can feel it - even through photos... or maybe sometimes only through photos because photos often can show what we don't notice when shooting them.

This place - Machu Picchu - no matter how beautiful it is - looks "lifeless" because it has no "living energy". People don't live there... and God only knows why people left this place, what happened to the civilization... and what the land - the mountains - still hide from tourists and persistent archaeologists and scientists (should there still be any).

Perhaps you noticed many times that there are places where you want to stay as long as possible, and there are places (even beautiful) which you want to run away from... and never return.
Enigma of this world!

btw, when I come to a place and shoot photos there, I try to feel the place and convey its spirit in my photos.

well, that's about it

cheers!
Elena