The Pianist

[marlunn]

I dont normally do people- but this guy was playing in a local National Trust propery we were visiting today, Dyffryn House. I took the shot, he is playing indoors in a wide dark hallway, Nikon D7100, Tamron 70-300 lens @ 70mm ( 105mm on c sensor) - F5.6, iso 1000, 1/40th sec. hand held.

A bit of work on LR / PP then in NikColourEfex. I just printed it on Hahnemuhle Albrect Durer 210gsm paper at A4 fine art - I like it a lot.

Happy for feedback

[Digital]

Mark, very nice photo.



Bruce

[joebranko]

Looks really nice! The work of an artist!

[marlunn]

Thanks Bruce, good of you to say so.

Cheers Joe, appreciated - not my normal subject so quietly please with it

[Shadowman]

Nice shot.

[Mike Buckley]

Taking advantage of unusually nice light not normally provided in situations like this.

[marlunn]

Thanks John

Mike, thanks, yep - initially it just looked gloomy while I was looking at the view but after a few minutes when I got my eye in - I could see the light areas and play to them.

[James G]

Mark, the wood tones are beautiful, there's a real antique feel to the image.

[marlunn]

Thanks James, much appreciated, must admit to finding this type of image very satisfying to take and PP.

[Manfred M]

Mark - very nicely spotted and taken shot. Also you are printing on my favourite line of papers. I've used the Albrect Durer paper for B&W prints, I find I like a tiny bit more of a gloss in my shots of people.

My two minor quibbles would be the colour balance, as the whole image seems a bit too cool for my taste. It almost seems to have a touch of a green colour cast on my screen. I find when I print people I will tend to go a touch on the warm side to give them a bit more of a healthy look. I would also do a tiny bit of dodging around his eyes to lift the shadows there just a bit.

[marlunn]

Cheers Manfred, I see the green tinge as you say in the wood panel above his head not sure how I missd that before, I just looked at the print and it has not got that and is slightly warmer, oh well the icc profile has been kind to me (but needs tweaking then) , I will look at the eyes, but the gent did have bushy eyebrows

I do really like their range of papers and have found them to be excellent on the images I have printed with them, I am fast moving over to them for more of my printing.

[Ndukes]

Wonderful. A pianist bringing to life the sounds of music on a vintage instrument so unusual today and so valid for music created in its own time. All the elements are perfectly balanced in this portrait of the artist.
Mark, this is really great.

[Manfred M]

I will look at the eyes, but the gent did have bushy eyebrows

I see that Mark, but the way that the light is falling has the top of his eye sockets casting a heavy shadow. In a more formal shot I would have pushed a bit of fill light in there, but in this type of candid, I find lightening up the area usually improves the image.

[selig1656]

Interesting and nice PP , like the expression captured in the person the details are captured vwell yet not overly emphasized as to dsitract from the piano itself

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Mark,

Manfred has already raised the two points I might have made (less well, no doubt).

I am also finding it good to get out of our comfort zone(s).

Cheers, Dave

[Rebel]

Nice image Mark, as Manfred suggested I'd warm it up a touch.

[marlunn]

Thanks Neville, much appreciated. The audience certainly appreciated his talent, it formed a great backdrop to the house and gave a very immersive feeling to the visit

Thank you Raymond, appreciated.

Cheers Dave, its worth it when i get this kind of shot, I like them but I dont like intruding on people but if you ask you lose the spontaneity you were trying to capture !

Matt, thanks, the paper used to print it has a warming effect on the image. The DPI may well be played with later in relation to the cool tones and the other areas noted but the primary output for this image was a print.

[IzzieK]

The first thing that I noticed was the expression of his face -- very serious to say the least. Everything here is balanced to my taste and I like music and playing my piano so I can resonate. A bit of briliance warmth in Nik's perhaps will do wonder to wake up this shot? What do you think?

[marlunn]

Thanks Izzie, much appreciated. The paper does the warm up for me, I may play with the dpi a bit more later, this is the house that he was playing in - Dyffryn House

[rpcrowe]

I also like the pianist image very much... Both capture and PP work well...