Piano Lessons.

[jiro]

Nikon D70, 50mm lens, ISO 800, f.2.0 @ 1/50 second.

I attended my kids' Junior Music Recital today. While waiting for my kids to perform, I asked the head program coordinator if I can take some photos of the kids performing. She agreed provided I gave her a copy of the shots so the school can have some souvenir of the recital. I happily agreed to her idea.

Thank you very much for viewing.

[allenlennon]

Great photo. Love it. But, in my opinion, my eyes, go from the hands to their body. I would think concentrating on the hands on the piano, it would give the messege of the old teaching/leading the young. Well, thats my opinion. But i do love it

[Geoff F]

Yes I was also thinking along similar lines. Without heads, there isn't anything of interest until the hands.

Maybe I would crop the top just past the end of the keyboard. Which would leave the ornament hanging around the neck of the right hand figure intact. This does give that ornament a bit too much impact but I think because it is 'pointing' towards the hands it might work OK.

Then crop the right side to half the shoulder (possibly a little more) and perhaps something from the left just to maintain a good balance.

Not sure really, I'm just holding bits of card against my screen. It needs a bit of experimentation and thought to get this shot exactly correct.

[allenlennon]

I hope you dont mind me doing this, but this is what i came up with, not perfect cause its prob not the best camera angle to do it with, but i cropped it(perhaps a little more is needed) and angled the image a bit. I really hope you didnt mind me doing this.

[rob marshall]

I hope you dont mind me doing this, but this is what i came up with, not perfect cause its prob not the best camera angle to do it with, but i cropped it(perhaps a little more is needed) and angled the image a bit. I really hope you didnt mind me doing this.

I do agree with this. The chopped-off heads in the original just don't look right to me. I would either have included the heads, or done the crop as in this edit - but with a better angle. The mic on the table is distracting in the original. I'm starting to think it's just me - but I like to choose a subject and make it/him/her the main focus of the image. Any extra items or elements are OK if they add important context or balance to the shot. Maybe it is me.

[jiro]

Thank you very much for the comments. Maybe, this shot would be more pleasing to your eyes.

[speedneeder]

Yes.

[Geoff F]

Either way I think, Willie. Show the faces or crop tighter on the hands; both work for me.

But I do prefer the shots with a 'diagonal' keyboard. The rotated versions look to me as though the keyboard is placed vertically. Having it at an angle gives more apparent depth.

[Squidgy]

Hi Jiro, I think the last shot is great and much improved for showing the heads but one thing is bothering me and that is what looks like the leg of a mic stand just behind the tutors back. Being a newbie I don't usually make comment on other peoples photographs as I don't feel qualified or confident enough to do so but I find the object a bit distracting (is it just me?). Please don't be offended by my opinion.

CiC is the best forget the rest!

[jiro]

Thanks, Nigel. You're fine. I'll clone that out on a new edit. Thanks.

[jiro]

Either way I think, Willie. Show the faces or crop tighter on the hands; both work for me.

But I do prefer the shots with a 'diagonal' keyboard. The rotated versions look to me as though the keyboard is placed vertically. Having it at an angle gives more apparent depth.

Thanks for your comment, Geoff.

[GrahamH]

Crop tight to the hands, PP to show the 'texture and character' of the more mature hands. Keeps the story tighter and leaves the imagination more to do.

Graham

[jiro]

This would be my cropped edit on the first image I posted.

[Geoff F]

Did you see me holding those pieces of card against the screen, Willie?

That is exactly how I saw this photo.

[jiro]

Did you see me holding those pieces of card against the screen, Willie?

That is exactly how I saw this photo.

Maybe not, but I also have one with me when I cropped it this way. LOL!

[GrahamH]

I really like the old hands/new hands thing going on.Also like this crop. But I would prefer more emphasis on the hands (texturally), so a little judicious dodging and burning gives me the version below. Not a lot different. I also lightened the white keys to provide a little more contrast. All work done in PSE 7.

Graham