Dave shoots band at White Waltham

[ScoutR]

Hi Dave: I think you've done a great job on all these shots. The logistics in events like this are such that I usually don't even bother trying. Technically as everyone has said they are all excellent.

I prefer the last mono you posted to the first, but the grungy look kind of grows on you. I like the expression in the last one too. The singer finally looks like he is enjoying himself.

For the most part what seems to be missing in a lot of the shots is emotion, but what can you do, if they are not an emotional group.

Most of my favourites are of the bass player with #13 coming in first place. He looks like he is having such a good time, it makes me smile.

I also like #6. The bass player again. The look on his face in this one is almost comical, like he just played a wrong note or something and is thinking "What the H*** I just tuned this thing"

Quick comments on each shot:
1. Good one, the rework is better
2. Like Rick said, there is just something about the drummer
3. Like it
4. Another favourite, I like the angle
5. just OK
6. Priceless for reason mentioned above
7. Just Ok
8. I like it but what about a closer crop (see below)
9. This drummer is just too laid back
10. I'm not crazy about the angle on this one
11. Just Ok
12. Good one!
13. Love it

Sorry, not very helpful comments, but on this type of shot the best I can do is tell you if I like it or not.

If you did a lot of cloning in these I don't see evidence of it, so great job there. Considering the backgrounds, the lighting, the audience and the fact that you could not move around a lot, I think you have some great shots here. Certainly a better than average starting point, and I would not doubt that the band might be interested in some of them.

Wendy

What do you think of this crop on the guitar shot

[rpcrowe]

Great Job!

[rick55]

I just discovered the reason, every close up shot I have of the guitar with any movement in, has one hand or the other hidden by the microphone stand, or with the mic stand going right up through the middle of shot - another lesson learnt, forgotten and re-learnt

In fact the microphones and their stands account for a large proportion of the unusable shots by getting in the way or obscuring bits of faces at just the wrong moment and that was after I'd got quite close to lessen the problem (or so I thought).

Yeah: that's a tough one, except to try for an angle where the mic stands are mostly against the background. But see what you can do with CS5: the spot healing tool does wonderful things! And when someone's really pounding out a song, the microphone makes sense.

The other thing I found going back through these is the guitarist rarely smiles while playing; e.g. only when he's talking between the songs and obviously those shots lack the 'dynamic' of the music.

The ones where he's belting something out, like #3, work well, I think. Good energy.

I like #15. Did you do B&W because of the light background? Wendy's tighter crop of #8 does seem an improvement, IMO.

Cheers,
Rick

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Dave: I think you've done a great job on all these shots. The logistics in events like this are such that I usually don't even bother trying. Technically as everyone has said they are all excellent.

I prefer the last mono you posted to the first, but the grungy look kind of grows on you. I like the expression in the last one too. The singer finally looks like he is enjoying himself.

Thanks, that last one, #15, was selected based on previous feedback

I thought I was 'capturing the emotion' with some of the original shots, but they seem to universally be interpretted as something else.

I also like #6. The bass player again. The look on his face in this one is almost comical, like he just played a wrong note or something and is thinking "What the H*** I just tuned this thing"

See what I mean - but I do see what you mean

Quick comments on each shot:
1. Good one, the rework is better
2. Like Rick said, there is just something about the drummer
3. Like it
4. Another favourite, I like the angle
5. just OK
6. Priceless for reason mentioned above
7. Just Ok
8. I like it but what about a closer crop (see below)
9. This drummer is just too laid back
10. I'm not crazy about the angle on this one
11. Just Ok
12. Good one!
13. Love it

1. Shot from the starting position and I had a lot of trouble toning down the overbright (plenty of blinkies) background, queue for the bar (at other end of marquee) and especially that pink jacket.
2. Yes, I don't seem to have many shots with a smile, nor wwith the sticks in good positions, I think I could see he was a lost cause and didn't waste to much filum on him.
3. Me too, one of the expressive ones that works
4. This one, the angle came naturally (although applied in PP)
5. Not strong, I agree, I thought the string blur was more obvious on this than some where the blur is so much it almost disappears
6. I like the hand and string, but the face could be better
7. Agreed again, not that good
8. I like your crop better
9. Included because in the series, I was trying to get an equal (ish) number of shots of each member
10. The angle here did feel contrived, I just felt the series needed another angled shot, but like 9 and 11 including sub-standard shots to make up the numbers and variety is a bad idea
11. I wanted one with his eyes open, but it does loook a little distant, shall we say.
12. Not bad, drummer still less than ideal though
13. Yes don't know how I missed this first time round

They are helpful; fresh eyes are always helpful.

All shots have some cloning, must be why I'm getting better at it.

I could (and should) have moved around even more, I know that now.

Thanks for the feedback,

[Dave Humphries]

I like #15. Did you do B&W because of the light background? Wendy's tighter crop of #8 does seem an improvement, IMO.

Hi Rick,

No, just because I wanted to try it again.

I also prefer Wendy's crop on #8.

Thanks,

[ScoutR]

I thought I was 'capturing the emotion' with some of the original shots, but they seem to universally be interpreted as something else.

Perhaps "emotion" is a bad choice of words, Energy might be better. Depending on the song they were playing you would not expect happy smiling faces. The serious looks are possibly expressive of the music, but without the music it does not come across. The smiling faces or close to the mike belting out the song seem to have more energy. Yes - I think that is a better word

Wendy

[ScoutR]

Great series, Dave. The crops are fine, as far as I'm concerned. I think some of your problem with contrast and "pop" is light: it's very flat light, diffused from (I take it) overhead, which of course tends to flatten things. Not much you can do about that, unless you want to go strobist on us. D5000 will remotely trigger a Speedlight, right? Put one on a stand.

The compositions are pretty good, I think, except that the drummer appears to have that "I can't move my head" style. Some drummers are apparently taught, or decide themselves, that they should keep their bodies and heads still while their hands move. I'm a drummer, but I have no idea why some people do this. This guy appears especially stiff, but if you say he's a fill-in, maybe he's just trying to concentrate.

I love 3 & 4. The guitar player in 1 is great: I might crop out the drummer. 5 doesn't work for me, I think because it's ambiguous whether he's looking at the neck or off into the distance: I don't know where he's looking, so what's the shot about? 6, 7, 11, and everything with the drummer look as if no one's having fun: 11 almost looks pensive, but doesn't quite make it. 8 is a nice shot, but not much to grab attention, to be honest. The reflections are too muted, and the action on the guitar isn't anything special: better at a slower shutter speed, maybe, to show some blur? 10 is a nice treatment, but not a good pose, looking down.

I like the two you added as happier - much more energy there. And I love the B&W: it looks like something from the 1948 Nashville Gazette, if there is such a thing.

Cheers,
Rick

Hi Rick: Just wanted to let you know that I found your feedback on all these shots very helpful for giving myself and others an idea of what to look for in shots like this. Thanks for taking the time. I think I appreciate the comments as much as Dave. Very insightful and helpful

Wendy

[rick55]

Hi Rick: Just wanted to let you know that I found your feedback on all these shots very helpful for giving myself and others an idea of what to look for in shots like this. Thanks for taking the time. I think I appreciate the comments as much as Dave. Very insightful and helpful

Wendy

Thanks, Wendy!

Cheers,
Rick

[Clactonian]

Very impressive series Dave. I'm particularly impressed by the quality of the images and your conversions.
The newer range of cameras knock the older models into a cocked hat when it comes to smooth, noise free images at higher ISO and in tricky lighting conditions.
How do I explain that to my wife in a convincing fashion when there's the kitchen and bathroom to be sorted? Oh and I forgot her replacement car!!

[Dave Humphries]

Very impressive series Dave. I'm particularly impressed by the quality of the images and your conversions.

Thanks Mike, I'm always impressed by yours.

The newer range of cameras knock the older models into a cocked hat when it comes to smooth, noise free images at higher ISO and in tricky lighting conditions. How do I explain that to my wife in a convincing fashion when there's the kitchen and bathroom to be sorted? Oh and I forgot her replacement car!!

Let her have the kitchen and buy Neat Image instead, it's 'only' $80 for the most expensive version. While it isn't by any means the whole story to my few 'successes' (if that's what you call them), it is a major factor. Almost everything else I learnt here, mostly from Colin.

[Clactonian]

.... Let her have the kitchen and buy Neat Image instead ...

It's a solution but not too satisfying.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Dave,

Good series and I have followed this thread with interest - including all the self assessment, which is a good lesson for all of us.

I can see what you talk regarding the mic stands, etc but the issue for me is the background and in particular that sheet floating above the head of the base guitarist. Whenever I look at shots of him I see this sheet floating around his head.

I like the angle on #10 but not the support stay running through the head of the singer.

I do like your first attempt at a gritty B&W including the singer’s profile.

Well done for your first band shoot – Rolling Stones next I suppose.

[Dave Humphries]

Thanks Peter,

I like the angle on #10 but not the support stay running through the head of the singer.

As I read somewhere here recently "that's gotta hurt"

More seriously, being so used to seeing them in normal orientation, I hadn't realised how daft this looks when angled like that If I cloned it out, I'm not sure what I could replace it with, I guess just the canvas either side.

Well done for your first band shoot – Rolling Stones next I suppose.

Yeah, If they'd just let me into that safety gap between the audience barriers and the stage, so I could get some good angles and not be jostled or stuck in one place - I'd be there in a trice.

Mind you, then there would be mic stands and TV cameras in the way (they roll across the front of the stage on track) and I'd have to duck when the crane cameras swoop in.

Cheers,