Local indoors music festival

[kmb]

A few pictures from Jyrock 2006:
1.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_2283.jpg


2.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_2600.jpg

3.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_2701.jpg

4.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_2935_B.jpg

5.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_2986.jpg

Bigger and properly sharpenened photos and EXIF here (plus more pictures to come):
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=30

[DwightMcCann]

#4 and #5 are particularly good! All are technically excellent. So, where are the full stage, wide angle ones? Didn't see them on your website either? Tell us a little about the event.

[kmb]

#4 and #5 are particularly good! All are technically excellent. So, where are the full stage, wide angle ones? Didn't see them on your website either?

I have them, but I have a slight "problem" with them. I just don't like the amount of stuff that comes in the frame in the wider shots. I just am not happy with them. I guess having a larger than very small stage to photograph would help so that everything would not become one big mess. Or maybe I'm lacking in skills in that regard. One thing I'm sure I'm lacking is a fast WA prime :). I'll try to post some WA shots soon if I can find any that I like.

Tell us a little about the event.

It's Finland's oldest indoor rock festival, organized by the student board (I wonder if that's the correct translation) of the University of Jyväskylä. The bands were mostly smaller names, playing alternative/mariginal music. It was a two-day event with 16 performers on two stages. The second stage was extremely poorly and boringly lit and equipped (looked like somebody's garage or something). The last performer was Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators (somebody outside Finland might have heard about her). Her concert was very poorly lit photogrpahy-wise with magneta spots and I got only very mono-coloured shots. I'll have to see if they'll look any good in B&W.
The concert was held last weekend, and I really wasn't in the mood as I had a bit of fever on friday and didn't feel all that good while shooting either. But since I had a photo pass, I just couldn't miss the oportunity (I got the photo pass by asking nicely and promising a web gallery for the organizer). A very laid back event.

A few more non-wide shots :) :
6.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_3146.jpg

7.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_3280.jpg

(oops, I can't edit the title of this thread to add a 56k warning...)

[René Damkot]

#1, 4 and good, 5 is great! Did you have to wait long to get the reflections in 4 and 5?
Edit: #6 is nice as well. Pity about the 'bar code' behind his head.
#7 I'ld crop closer (lose top-left); The hair going 'too high' disturbs the 'balance' of the picture: It gets a bit top-heavy to me.
Very nice lighting on all of them...

[jfrancho]

I agree w/ Dwight, 4 and 5 are very nice. In 4, I wouldn't know that it was a performance shot if it weren't for the sunglasses reflecting the keys - very interesting.

[kmb]

#1, 4 and good, 5 is great! Did you have to wait long to get the reflections in 4 and 5?

I consciously noted only the reflection in #4 (of which I'm quite proud, the picture has an extra level because of that). I didn't have to wait for it, but noted it when it happened (I'll be sure to look for similar opportunities in the future if the performer has sunglasses). In the fifth image the viewer might not make a conscious note that the drums are reflected because their reflections are just white balls. Personally, I like that image for other reasons.

[dzstudios]

When I've finished swooning, I'll be able to tell you how much I LOOOOVEEEE these shots!

I looove the reflections - and the smoke. And the crispness. And how you captured the 'good moments' which brings across the atmosphere.


I know what you mean about wide angle shots - I'm never quite happy with ours - from the experts on here, I know it requires in addition to skill, also very good glass.

HOWEVER - time permitting - I MAKE my own wide angle shots, but comping members of the band (shot individually) onto the stage together -- but it takes enormous effort and lots of skill -- not for the faint hearted!


.

[lmtayl2]

They all look good to me. I like the fact that you were able to capture the drummer with sharpness and good light. It's always hard gettin good pics of the folks in the back of the band.

[dzstudios]

I knew I saw it somewhere - (AM I ALLOWED TO QUOTE FROM ONE THREAD TO ANOTHER?) -

An example of that elusive WIDE ANGLE full stage shot with "ALL-THE-ARTIST-that-still -look- sharp-and-atmoshperic" that we can aim for! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:



http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/SawyerBrown01052006/SawyerBrown7726-1000.JPG

[kmb]

Thanks for all the kind comments guys :)

There's still quite a lot to be done. The lighting was rather uneven (I guess because of the relatively low roof the lights were quite close to the performers, forming quite tight spots lighting only selectively and/or giving much more lighting to anything even a bit closer to the lights). One thing I can do with RAW is to make multiple conversions (one dark and one light) so that nothing's too dark and nothing's burned - in many cases anyway.

[bikerider]

Very good quality series of photos for all the reasons stated, I particularly like #4 & #5 obviously.......you've got a really strong range of photos in your gallery too, nice work.
Roger.

[nevermindthat]

I love # 4, the piano in the glasses is a really neat effect, good work overall!

[kmb]

Had time to do some more post processing. Here are some wide(r) shots:

8.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_2852.jpg

9.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_3216.jpg

10.
http://www.bjorklid.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal__MG_2241.jpg

[DwightMcCann]

You know, these are all quite grand!

[jfrancho]

#8 is real cool. I try to get shots like that, but very few come out as nice as that one.