Doing my annual Blues thing....

[Croasdail]

So... I only really shoot live events of the non-sport type once a year - so I am crashing your little group and this is this years offerings. These were the final acts in what is a two day festival. I was actually getting very irritated at the "pro" photographers who seemed to think the show was there for them and showed no restraint... walking where ever they wanted and using flash. There was no need at all for flash at all...and it was quit distracting from the audience area. They are going to ruin it for all the rest of us.

Anyway - here is this this years stuff.

Carl Weathersby

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/blues7.jpg

Bnois King - BB's Brother

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/Blues1.jpg

Smokin’ Joe Kubek
http://www.buzzershot.com/images/blues15.jpg

Mighty Lester

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/blues14.jpg

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/blues13.jpg

and his son

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/blues11.jpg

Ah.... let's do a little b/w stuff too... blues just feels good in that medium to me

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/bleus16bw.jpg

and we must not forget the ladies... after all they are the reason for the blues most of the time

http://www.buzzershot.com/images/blues17.jpg

[DwightMcCann]

So, did you "blacken" the backgrounds? It looks as though you did something to several of them. Other than an "odd" feel to some they are magnificent! What a night, eh? :-)

[taojones]

excellent shots croasdail ...regards taojones

[Olegis]

Wow, these pictures are magnificent !
I would leave the 3rd and the 6st pictures out of this set to make it perfect - they are not really in the same league (the composition in the 3rd picture could be better and the lighting in the 6st just doesn't do justice to the performer, IMHO).

[liza]

Great shots. I envy you for having the opportunity to see these artists. I love the blues!

[Croasdail]

So, did you "blacken" the backgrounds? It looks as though you did something to several of them. Other than an "odd" feel to some they are magnificent! What a night, eh? :-)

Nope - no color adjustment or tweaking, no noise reduction or anything like that. These were shot at ISO 800 to avoid all that kind of stuff. Not sure what's causing what your seeing. The only thing done was croping, resizing and sharpening after being reduced. hmmmmm... if you could give more detail about which shots you see as having an un-natural feel.... then I might be able to see what your seeing.

(the composition in the 3rd picture could be better and the lighting in the 6st just doesn't do justice to the performer, IMHO)

I liked the 3rd shot because how the two guitarist were interacting.... but as a viewer who doesn't have the same context as I did when viewing the image, I can see how it wouldn't have the same feel. Fortunately I have plenty more of this artist. The 6th shot is more of a problem as for what ever reason I don't have many keepers of him.

Great shots. I envy you for having the opportunity to see these artists. I love the blues!

Thanks.... it was a kick. The problem is after seeing these people live, hearing them any other way doesn't do justice anymore. You just don't get that same feel from a recording - no matter how good it is.

excellent shots croasdail ...regards taojones

Thanks... the comments are much appreciated.

[Maureen Souza]

WONDERFUL, Mark. I didn't think any of them looked at all odd...you captured the blues feeling superbly.

[Croasdail]

Thanks Maureen... I had a good time taking them. I really do wish I knew what Dwight was seeing in the backgrounds that made them odd... if there is something I can fix or change when I shoot... it would be good to know. The second shot has an odd background simply because the sun had not fully gone down yet.... kind of that last light thing going on. Anyway. Thanks again.

[DwightMcCann]

Well, I just looked again on my home monitor and they don't look odd at all so it must be an interaction with my work monitor which isn't nearly so nice! :-) Sorry to have worried you.

[Ballen Photo]

Mark, You turned up some real "STUNNERS" here. Nice capture of BB's brother too. :D I was actually getting very irritated at the "pro" photographers who seemed to think the show was there for them and showed no restraint... walking where ever they wanted and using flash. Are you sure these guys were PRO's?
-Bruce

[Croasdail]

Well, I just looked again on my home monitor and they don't look odd at all so it must be an interaction with my work monitor which isn't nearly so nice! :-) Sorry to have worried you.

okie dokie then.... I thought with your experienced eyes I had missed something you caught. It is hardly beyond the relm of possibilities that I might have missed something. If ever you do see something that can be done better... don't be shy. I may be very self critical of my stuff... but I also have very tough skin... so no worries.

Are you sure these guys were PRO's?
-Bruce

I was being nice. :rolleyes: We could all get into a long discussion about what makes a pro a pro... but one part of it should be knowing how to behave in certain situations. That as part of the criteria... these guys were no pro's in my book. Here is what the audience got to see... hope the shots these two got were worth screwing up the experience for the rest of everyone there....

[Kevin]

Yep, the only thing worse would be a red thong:lol:

[DwightMcCann]

Yep, the only thing worse would be a red thong:lol:
Oh, Sweet Lord, Kevin! You have ruined my dinner ... for the rest of the week! :confused: C'mon, man, you are a moderator! BTW, I have my 400mm f/2.8L IS ... but haven't put it on a body yet. You will have to come down and try it.

[sageone]

you can almost smell the scotch and stogies in the air...

[taygull]

Those are some great shots. I really dig the first couple.

I just got a new laptop and they look perfect on my high end HP 17" screen.

[Croasdail]

BTW, I have my 400mm f/2.8L IS ... but haven't put it on a body yet.

what.... are you mental! When I get a new toy - I mean tool like that I am always heading out the door first thing to get a few duck and brick wall shots. How in the heck can you be certain that is it sharp... Congrats on the lens. I still can't pull the trigger on that... wish I could.. but haven't yet. Trust me, there were pleny of times I was thinking of ways it could be used from the sound board area though...

[DwightMcCann]

Mark, If I had not had the computer failure, a wedding (as the winery photographer, not the wedding photographer) and needed to get studio images of my band I would have been out and about with it. My P-50 plate for my Wimberley head just arrived yesterday, which is my preferred way of using big lenses. I am on vacation next week ... we're taking our truck camper to Huntington Lake in the westerm sierras and I expect I will find something worth shooting there.

[lmtayl2]

Cool pics...#1 is my favorite cause the coloring and sharpness are awesome. Looks like he could jump out of the screen onto my keyboard..

What settings did you use if you don't mind me asking? I struggle with trying to decide if I should use Aperture or Shutter P...

[symes]

I am very impressed with your "I only do this once a year" photos...

Great job...maybe you should do it more...

Cheers,

[Permagrin]

These are excellent photos. I really like them all, each for different reasons!

Can't wait to see next year's set!

[Croasdail]

Cool pics...#1 is my favorite cause the coloring and sharpness are awesome. Looks like he could jump out of the screen onto my keyboard..

What settings did you use if you don't mind me asking? I struggle with trying to decide if I should use Aperture or Shutter P...


Hey, thanks. Not sure what the shutter what, I know I was shooting wide open with a f2.8 lens and for most of the concert I was at ISO 800. Only at the very end did I decided to play with ISO 1600. I started shooting RAW but also quickly moved back to JPEG. The EXIF data should be there.... I just don't have access to it right now. Feel free to peak.

symes and Peregrin, can't wait until next year, and I do wish I had the opportunity to shoot events more but I don't have the contacts nor the time to really develope this side ... wish I did...perhaps someday. Cheers and thanks.

[johnstoy]

Say Croasdail,

Was it the 70-200 2.8 lens? I don't have one and am always wondering how you guys manage such crisp pics.

I like every one of your photos, cause you have taken the time to catch the face...Excellent...

[Croasdail]

Hey John... no, I use the Sigma 120-300 for 90% of all my shots. I have kind of settled in with it and gotten used to it. It is kind of a lazy/cheap man's Canon 300 L. The crispness is some the lens...well... a lot from the lens, and I do sharpen (USM) these for the web after reducing them too. Thanks for the comments though.