Kiev Symphony & Chorus

[UrbanScribe]

The Kiev Symphony & Chorus (from Kiev Ukraine) is touring the U.S. for the next few months and are currently here in my area. Got this shot last night at the concert.
I am good friends with a number of the members and actually have two of them staying at my house until tuesday. I'll try to post additional pictures of them if they turn out to my liking.

http://photo.urbanscribe.com/photos/kiev.jpg

Please let me know what you think.

[eland]

A most interesting shot taken under very difficult conditions.

I'd love to see a shot of the musicians if you can manage that.

Very well done.

eland

[mpaul73]

I think the photo lacks a central focus. It's a collection of people and an interesting shot but nothing that really hold the attention? Your eye is left just wandering about. The blur of the moving hands is distracting but I appreciate there was not much you could have done to avoid that under these circumstances.

Hope I didn't sound unfairly harsh? Just an honest critque as I see it.

regards
Martin.

[henkbos]

HAve to agree with Martin on the critics. Not an easy shot, but that is no reason not to give critics.
- picture is not in focus
- heads cropped of on the top
- hand of the conductor
Try to use a higher ISO setting and focus on a smaller group. If you can use a tripod, wait for the right moment to click and take lots of shots.

[stopbath]

I actually like the blur in the conductors arms. It adds the element of time.

But, I think the photo is too tightly cropped. We only see a portion of the group. A tightly framed shot of one or two of the singers would have been nice too.

Also the conductor is too close to the edge of the picture.

Is the picture focused or is it camera shake? A monopod might have helped.

[UrbanScribe]

Thank you very much for your comments. Definetly not unfair of you to critique in this manner. In fact, that's what I was looking for.

Definetly one of the more difficult positions I've had. No flashes were used although I was using a tripod. As you can tell from the conductors hands (which I was in fact trying for), it was a longer exposure and slight movements from the group I think caused for the soft image. Although I'm sure it was partly my fault since I was using manual focus and it was most definetly not the brightest conditions.

I took about 60 shots that night, although many of them weren't what I was looking for. I still haven't had time to sort through most but hopefully in the next couple days.