Lionel Richie in Concert, July 6th, 2006

[DwightMcCann]

"The faster I go the behinder I get!" But here we are ... the inimitable Lionel Richie who doesn't look a day (well, may a few days) older! And his voice has simply gotten sweeter with age like a violin. Excellent performance at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California. I was allowed "first three songs."

#1 The Collage: I need to know if the three overlaid images in the upper left should have been left out?
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ChumashCollages/LionelRichieCollage-1000.jpg

#2
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/LionelRichie070606/LionelRichie0309-1000.jpg

#3 I particularly liked this, shot in front of stage left over the top of his piano from the floor ... I like the guitarist in the background in totally different light.
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/LionelRichie070606/LionelRichie0368-1000.jpg

#4
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/LionelRichie070606/LionelRichie0965-1000.jpg

#5 He was adjusting his earphone but I like the crop in this.
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/LionelRichie070606/LionelRichie0530-1000.jpg

#6
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/LionelRichie070606/LionelRichie1209-1000.jpg

#7
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/LionelRichie070606/LionelRichie1228-1000.jpg


#8
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/LionelRichie070606/LionelRichie1265-1000.jpg

There are a dozen more on my website for your listening pleasure: http://www.dwightmccann.com/ChumashCasinoResort/LionelRichie070606.htm and all comments and criticisms are welcome.

[Belmondo]

Dwight:
Good work. I think I like #5 best. You seem to have caught him in a contemplative moment. Maybe it was just gas, but it's a very good shot.

[Ballen Photo]

Dwight, I think the collage is well done, and works for what it is intended. I also like the close in shots of Mr Richie. :D
BTW, Did you manage to get any shots with the fish eye?
-Bruce

[tommykjensen]

I agree with Bruce. The collage works well.

[taygull]

Dwight,

The collage is perfect. I really like the limited use of "additional shots". The only ones that don't do it for me are #3 & #5.

#3 I don't like the black blur at the bottom, I'm sure it is the piano but it is not obvious enough for me. Like stage monitors I hate those things in they way. If the edge was sharp on the black object it would be OK...it just looks to me that there was an obstruction about 8'10' in front of Lionel.

#5 I don't like only because I know he was in a moment of frustration as his in ear monitor was not working properly. To the average Joe they probably like the look but I've ran sound so when I see this look it makes me uncomfortable.

You've got the cutout thing really working!

I shot a nice act at Hanks last night and was overall disappointed with the results. Not because I did a bad job but as I get "better" at this I'm really more picky about the lighting and such. I just could not get the shots I wanted because of the damn green and red lights. I can't even shoot the drummer because of this terrible blue light that is on him 100% of the time.

Great use of the lights......

Lionel is just amazing.......I think I'd rather shoot him than Rascal Flatts, Jack Ingram, or any other country act! Very nice!

[DwightMcCann]

Dwight:
Good work. I think I like #5 best. You seem to have caught him in a contemplative moment. Maybe it was just gas, but it's a very good shot.

Yes, quite contemplative ... his earphone was screaming and falling out! He futzed with it for about 30 minutes on and off. :-)

[DwightMcCann]

Dwight, I think the collage is well done, and works for what it is intended. I also like the close in shots of Mr Richie. :D
BTW, Did you manage to get any shots with the fish eye?
-Bruce

Thanks, Bruce. I shot these last week and didn't get the fisheye until this week ... I have some from Intocable with the fisheye, but I really think it needs a fullframe camera to really appreciate it, sigh, so I am putting a 5D on the wishlist for now (unless someone convinces me I really need a 1Ds) ... I really need the 400mm f/2.8 and I won't have enough in the budget until middle of August.

[DwightMcCann]

I agree with Bruce. The collage works well.

Thanks, Tommy, there seem to be two camps on this!

[DwightMcCann]

Chris, thanks. I liked the contrast with the guitarist but can see that it feels a little "cut off". I agree about #5 but if you don't know what is going on it is really tight but because of the landscape mode it isn't just a box with a face.

Each act is different. I now have a week off and then all heck breaks loose the last week of the month: KISS Wednesday, Al Green Thursday, KISS Friday, Boxing setup Friday and boxing matches Saturday. It will be a lot of work for me but I don't know how the casino guys are going to live through it!

Dwight,

The collage is perfect. I really like the limited use of "additional shots". The only ones that don't do it for me are #3 & #5.

#3 I don't like the black blur at the bottom, I'm sure it is the piano but it is not obvious enough for me. Like stage monitors I hate those things in they way. If the edge was sharp on the black object it would be OK...it just looks to me that there was an obstruction about 8'10' in front of Lionel.

#5 I don't like only because I know he was in a moment of frustration as his in ear monitor was not working properly. To the average Joe they probably like the look but I've ran sound so when I see this look it makes me uncomfortable.

You've got the cutout thing really working!

I shot a nice act at Hanks last night and was overall disappointed with the results. Not because I did a bad job but as I get "better" at this I'm really more picky about the lighting and such. I just could not get the shots I wanted because of the damn green and red lights. I can't even shoot the drummer because of this terrible blue light that is on him 100% of the time.

Great use of the lights......

Lionel is just amazing.......I think I'd rather shoot him than Rascal Flatts, Jack Ingram, or any other country act! Very nice!

[NordieBoy]

I like the collage.
The insets work well with the 3 different lighting colours and they're not covering anything important up and it would be wasteful as dead space.

Don't they like the drummer?

:D

[schmoelzel]

Really great shots and the collage is good except for the font!! That makes it look a little too cartoony IMO.

[Belmondo]

Yes, quite contemplative ... his earphone was screaming and falling out! He futzed with it for about 30 minutes on and off. :-)

My apologies. I hope I haven't offended you by accusing you of taking a good photo.:lol:

[DwightMcCann]

I like the collage.
The insets work well with the 3 different lighting colours and they're not covering anything important up and it would be wasteful as dead space.

Don't they like the drummer?

:D

Thanks. If you mean the plexiglass barriers around the drummer it seems almost all of the high end bands do this ... I am just guessing, but since the sound is all run through a monitor board that sits amongst the audience (at the casino, 2/3d's back in the center) it allows more control. Intocable had two drummers and each had such a barrier.

[DwightMcCann]

Really great shots and the collage is good except for the font!! That makes it look a little too cartoony IMO.
Thanks. As for the font, do you mean the font (shape of the letters) or the beveling and edges and color? I struggle with every element on every collage and as I am not a graphic artist and have absolutely no training or feel for this I am never sure ... but the collages are a requirement of my agreement with the casino although they give no guidance at all. The fonts I have are all free downloads from various places on the web plus the default Windows XP fonts. Suggestions?

[DwightMcCann]

My apologies. I hope I haven't offended you by accusing you of taking a good photo.:lol:

What, pray tell, did I say that would make you feel the need to apologize? :confused: I agree though ... I think it is good!

[taygull]

Thanks. If you mean the plexiglass barriers around the drummer it seems almost all of the high end bands do this ... .

Actually it is so the drummer does not over power the band and the audience. You'd be amazes how much quieter it makes it. They do mic the drums so they will balance in the final output to the crowd.

[DwightMcCann]

Actually it done so the drummer does not over power the band and the audience. You'd be amazes how much quieter it makes it. They do mic the drums so they will balance in the final output to the crowd.

Well, in that case, every hobby band in the valley needs to get one of these rigs 'cause every drummer thinks we have only come to hear them.

[schmoelzel]

Thanks. As for the font, do you mean the font (shape of the letters) or the beveling and edges and color? I struggle with every element on every collage and as I am not a graphic artist and have absolutely no training or feel for this I am never sure ... but the collages are a requirement of my agreement with the casino although they give no guidance at all. The fonts I have are all free downloads from various places on the web plus the default Windows XP fonts. Suggestions?

I think the bevelling and edges are the one element that let down an otherwise very good collage. I think the most effective colour would be white , maybe a little bit of shadow behind it to draw it out from the page. If you would like, I can post an example.............I think you want to draw attention to your great shots rather than the font!!

[DwightMcCann]

I think the bevelling and edges are the one element that let down an otherwise very good collage. I think the most effective colour would be white , maybe a little bit of shadow behind it to draw it out from the page. If you would like, I can post an example.............I think you want to draw attention to your great shots rather than the font!!

Please feel free to edit and repost anything of mine, particularly for explanation ... there are several folks here who are doing collages now and we will all benefit from seeing ideas.

[Reeforbust]

What a talented guy......And Lionel Richie ain't bad either!;)

Dwight, those are awesome shots!!! I love'em all.......:D

[woman4life]

Thanks. As for the font, do you mean the font (shape of the letters) or the beveling and edges and color? I struggle with every element on every collage and as I am not a graphic artist and have absolutely no training or feel for this I am never sure ... but the collages are a requirement of my agreement with the casino although they give no guidance at all. The fonts I have are all free downloads from various places on the web plus the default Windows XP fonts. Suggestions?

I think the font looks fine. It looks great for the casino, imho. I love the collage.

Good to see some of the good shots now. :)

So, are you getting to photo shoot KISS afterall? If so, I hope that goes well for you. I can't wait to see the pics.

--Melanie

[DwightMcCann]

Thanks, Reef and Melanie. I will be showing up for KISS. The talent buyer told me I would have to have flame retardant in my hair! But until they show up and someone makes an onsite decision I will not know for sure. You have to remember that I am the pimple on the butt of progress in all this and no one involved is much concerned one way or the other with my piece. They will pay me whether I can shoot or not.

[René Damkot]

Nice images & collage. Why links?

[taygull]

Nice images & collage. Why links?


Good question...they were not there the other day.

I wonder if Dwight got slapped on the wrist for size or quantity?

[tommykjensen]

Nice images & collage. Why links?


http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=192763

[René Damkot]

My understanding was, that Dwight was the exception to the rule?

[DwightMcCann]

He did Rene, but I believe it was prior to Tommy being a moderator. I've dispatched a note to Tommy asking if he would find out if this exemption still exists. I am personally aware that there have been some outrageous abuses of the limits lately and I expect that I am simply caught up in very necessary oversight. We'll see.

[René Damkot]

I am personally aware that there have been some outrageous abuses of the limits lately
:o Like my thread before splitting it up :o

[tommykjensen]

He did Rene, but I believe it was prior to Tommy being a moderator. I've dispatched a note to Tommy asking if he would find out if this exemption still exists. I am personally aware that there have been some outrageous abuses of the limits lately and I expect that I am simply caught up in very necessary oversight. We'll see.

Answered in PM.

[liza]

Excellent work, Dwight. The collage is very well done.
And personally, I like the links better since I have dial-up. :)

[taygull]

Excellent work, Dwight. The collage is very well done.
And personally, I like the links better since I have dial-up. :)

I understand the dial up issue but I have a policy of not going to websites to view images. I know Dwight so it is not a big deal, but if I don't know the poster I won't go to the website.

Thanks!

[DwightMcCann]

Tommy reported that Pekka has terminated my exemption. Due to the additional workflow required I will no longer be posting images at POTN. This is actually a blessing as I have been spending time socializing here that would be better spent on my bicycle burning off the fat a life of ease has brought me.

[René Damkot]

Tommy reported that Pekka has terminated my exemption. Due to the additional workflow required I will no longer be posting images at POTN.
What? That would be a shame. Can we set up a poll to change Pekka's mind about this?
Will you at least continue to read and post? And post some links every once in a while?

[DwightMcCann]

What? That would be a shame.
Will you at least continue to read and post?
I am already stretched very thin timewise and I have to draw the limits somewhere. To maintain an additional set of images (I already have 170,000 images on my machines) for posting here would be "the straw that broke the camel's back". I am already continuously behind in my projects and cheating my clients out of the service I would like to provide. My intent isn't to "take my ball and go home" but there will certainly be much less of an attraction to spend time here without being able to post in an agreeable manner. Hey, this is how all successful ventures go ... they mature, depersonalize and create rules to reduce the burden of administration, which because of success becomes unmanageable otherwise. Pekka only has about a dozen folks to maintain order and it has gotten out of hand. If you want to know what happens with KISS you will have to come to my website or read my Blog! :-)

It is also the case that I have gotten in the very bad habit of reading/writing here when I should be out riding my bicycle for an hour in the evenings to burn off some of the fat I have accumulated while sitting in front of a computer chatting with POTN folks. I need the time back but don't have the self discipline to limit myself.

[Pekka]

Tommy reported that Pekka has terminated my exemption. Due to the additional workflow required I will no longer be posting images at POTN. This is actually a blessing as I have been spending time socializing here that would be better spent on my bicycle burning off the fat a life of ease has brought me.

Dwight, you heard the same thing from me few days in PM ago but obviously you wanted to ignore it. Making it a public "I'll go if I do not get the candy" issue does not help. From now on there will be no expections to size rules, not for me or you. Resizing to 800 does not require anything else than resizing. If that is too much to cope with then you must use text links or thumbnail links to photos of any size. Everyone else on POTN are doing fine with these rules.

[andyanderson179]

Wow!! Great

[DwightMcCann]

Dwight, you heard the same thing from me few days in PM ago but obviously you wanted to ignore it. Making it a public "I'll go if I do not get the candy" issue does not help. From now on there will be no expections to size rules, not for me or you. Resizing to 800 does not require anything else than resizing. If that is too much to cope with then you must use text links or thumbnail links to photos of any size. Everyone else on POTN are doing fine with these rules.

I have PM'd Pekka to explain that my comments were NOT intended to suggest that if I don't get my way I will not participate. I completely understand his position and find no fault with it. But it is not the case that embedding images here is simply resizing ... it is resizing, properly resharpening, adding pages/code to link, uploading, and various other operations. It does not fit in my workflow. Embedding my images at POTN is a tertiary fallout to my other obligations. I am not upset. I do not feel "put upon". I am simply making a business/time constraint decision. If I said anything that appears otherwise it is the fault of my poor communication skills. We now return to your regularly scheduled programming. :rolleyes:

[Pekka]

I have PM'd Pekka to explain that my comments were NOT intended to suggest that if I don't get my way I will not participate. I completely understand his position and find no fault with it. But it is not the case that embedding images here is simply resizing ... it is resizing, properly resharpening, adding pages/code to link, uploading, and various other operations. It does not fit in my workflow. Embedding my images at POTN is a tertiary fallout to my other obligations. I am not upset. I do not feel "put upon". I am simply making a business/time constraint decision. If I said anything that appears otherwise it is the fault of my poor communication skills. We now return to your regularly scheduled programming. :rolleyes:

Ok, let's say this was a miscommunication issue. Now, if you can not post photos within 800x800 box can you please post just the links, or use the thumbnail method as explained in http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=157706 I would appreciate the effort. I would imagine you want to create traffic to your site to promote your photos and services. Linking to your gallery photo page(s) will do just that, with added value of counting hits and directing people to other parts of your site.

I do not really understand a need to have all photos in certain smaller size. When I have a photo to post in POTN, I take the original PSD, run it through an action which "converts it to 8 bits, sRGB, resizes to 800, sharpen a little". Then I "save for web" under 100KB and attach it to post. This takes about 30 seconds to minute.

We will have soon a new version of forum software which allows automatic resize to 800 when you attach a photo (2 per thread). That would let you easily post two teaser images and link to the rest.

Solutions are there if they are sought.

[DwightMcCann]

I assure you it is just miscommunication. I never think about driving traffic to my website ... I don't sell anything there, don't have banner or Google Adsense and didn't even put a link to my website in my earlier posts or signature until it was sort of suggested. I have more work than time (or brains) as it is. It was easiest to have my website in a tab and POTN in a tab in Firefox and simply snatch an image URL from mine and embed in here. Even saving additional 800 pixel images and then uploading is more work even if not onerous. One must make choices ... heck, I don't know what I will do for sure ... we are not there yet. But all of this is not a big deal. I am only one of thousands of members. I am happy. I harbor no ill will. Life has bumps ... my life has lots of them ... that is part of the ride and the adventure.

Now, everyone move along, there is nothing to see here ...