Craig Thatcher Band @ Penn's Peak, Opens for Dickey Betts & Great Southern, in Jim Th

[johnstoy]

Craig Thatcher Band @ Penn's Peak, Opens for Dickey Betts & Great Southern, in Jim Thorpe, PA 05.31.07

VOTE IN THIS POLL; Help choose the pics: I'm sending some of these to the band... All pics taken w the 50mm f1.4...EXIF intact...
Pick the best/or your favorite pic, from this set of ( 8 ) eight images...
(EDIT: Yes, you can vote for more than one choice...)

From the web site, Quote:
"The Craig Thatcher Band is a blues/rock band located in PA's great Lehigh Valley, about an hour north of Philadelphia.

The core band consists of bassist/vocalist Wayde Leonard, drummer Don Plowman and Craig Thatcher on guitar and vocals.

CTB performs many blues and rock standards in several different formats ranging from three to eight pieces. In addition to covers from artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Cream, the Allman Brothers, Robin Trower, Freddie King, Cream, Traffic, Beatles, Doors, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Santana and many others, we also have quite a few original tunes and have released several cds of mostly original music.

CTB and friends also perform a very special theatre-only show we call the Eric Clapton Retrospective. This is an exciting and entertaining show, featuring the great music from one of the finest musicians on the planet."

#1. Lead Guitar-low light Vertical
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/stoy17/CraigThatcher/IMG_20070531_9999_100.jpg

#2. Bass - Horizontal - face in green stage lighting
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/stoy17/CraigThatcher/IMG_20070531_9999_128.jpg

#3. Smiling Drummer-Horizontal
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/stoy17/CraigThatcher/IMG_20070531_9999_169.jpg

#4. Close up of Drummer - Horizontal
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/stoy17/CraigThatcher/IMG_20070531_9999_223.jpg

#5. Black and White - Lead Guitar
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/stoy17/CraigThatcher/IMG_20070531_9999_278.jpg

#6. Bass - Vertical low light
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/stoy17/CraigThatcher/IMG_20070531_9999_121.jpg

#7. Lead Guitar - Horizontal in color
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/stoy17/CraigThatcher/IMG_20070531_9999_293.jpg

#8. Full Stage with Dickey Betts Back Drop
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/stoy17/CraigThatcher/IMG_20070531_9999_42.jpg

[skifurthur]

I voted for # 1 because it looks like a concert moment. Something about the dark and light playing together, along with the music, that touches that place inside me.

Nice job.

[InspiredGraphix]

I vote 7. Dunno why, just my favourite :D

I do like this idea of polling to pick favourites though... :D

Rob

[johnstoy]

I voted for # 1 because it looks like a concert moment. Something about the dark and light playing together, along with the music, that touches that place inside me.

Nice job.

Although # 1 is pretty dark, I chose it for pic#1 to open the set with, here... For some, the dark face is a turnoff...But this picture also has a very good background... it's of streams of green light and the back drop design... Apparently it got diminished in the compression to our smaller 800 x 800 images...

This is the first time I ever noticed, that a clarity/visibility of a background was reduced from the originals by compression...

Thanks for checking these out and voting SKI...

[johnstoy]

I vote 7. Dunno why, just my favourite :D

I do like this idea of polling to pick favourites though... :D

Rob


#7 was the first picture I sent out to the venue and to their radio station... In the picture, Craig does resemble Eric Clapton a bit... And I like the look on his face...

These pics looked average, when out of camera in RAW... Once I was able to customize the Post Processing, many of the hidden highlights surfaced... The image was even sharp without sharpening... It certainly didn't look sharp in RAW... Again, just as in #1., re: Post #2, there is a real nice, but faint, back ground behind him in pic. #7... but the compression didn't retain it and now it's too dark...(ha, ha, take my word for it, it's there.)

The Poll is an honest attempt at finding out what you all like in pics... Some of these images are already forwarded to the band, and Craig will put them on his web site soon...

In the mean time, he invited me to their exclusive "Eric Clapton" show at a local Opera House...;)

Thanks for checking these out Shooter-boy.

[René Damkot]

#7 for me as well...
Last one needs a bit straightening, and the blue on the backdrop is clipping big time...
#5 is nice as well, but I think I like 7 better. #4 needs a crop & #1 is too dark ;)

[johnstoy]

#7 for me as well...
Last one needs a bit straightening, and the blue on the backdrop is clipping big time...
#5 is nice as well, but I think I like 7 better. #4 needs a crop & #1 is too dark ;)

Agreed, but with an explanation... I'm glad that you like # 7... :D

The last one "Stage Shot" I straightened it by using the ceiling spot light framing... The stage floor is rounded in the front and aligning by it and the ceiling is not that easy... Any suggestions?

#4 can easily be cropped and I'll do it and email it to them...

The background in #5 helps add depth to the pic and I like it too... This background is also visible in a larger version of pic #1. :shock:

If you wish to see the actual 1st pic (#1.) Rene', PM me your Email Address and I'll send you a large version of it... In the large version, there is a BG visible and even a faint hint of a beam of green light.
I'd be interested to hear if it is still too dark, and that I should go back to the original RAW version and further lighten it.

[Specs]

I like the intensity #7 depicts.
But I also like how #8 is reminiscent of Iron Butterfly's 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida' album cover photo.

[johnstoy]

I like the intensity #7 depicts.
But I also like how #8 is reminiscent of Iron Butterfly's 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida' album cover photo.

Thanks Specs... #7 turned out pretty cool...
Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida will always be an awesome album...:D

[narlus]

i went w/ #8. it captures a good moment of the band looking @ each other and locking in.

[johnstoy]

i went w/ #8. it captures a good moment of the band looking @ each other and locking in.

Say Narlus...I'm glad you chose #8... I went back and worked on it over again...Started back in RAW, converted it using DPP auto... trimmed it... and then I sharpened it slightly... It looks better... and the color of the background, and the focus is retained...

And, per Rene's request, I also re-adjusted the tilt...

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/stoy17/CraigThatcher/IMG_20070531_9999_42-1.jpg

[niqqunos]

Personally, I like #2 - bass players are always much cooler than guitarists, and nobody likes a left-handed drummer!

Plus his expression in #2 is half-concentration and half-i'm-so-cool!

p.s. did I mention I'm a bassplayer? :)

[René Damkot]

Much better ;)
PM sent.

[johnstoy]

Personally, I like #2 - bass players are always much cooler than guitarists, and nobody likes a left-handed drummer!

Plus his expression in #2 is half-concentration and half-i'm-so-cool!

p.s. did I mention I'm a bassplayer? :)

I'm lucky to have even gotten a pic of the bass player...He was clear on the other end of the stage... I saw the green lights on him, so I jumped up, leaned over the barriers and captured 9 pics in RAW, "Bracketed" in sets of 3...had my fingers crossed, hoping even one them would come out... I really think it's way cool too...;)

I'll PM you in a minute or two...check your messages...

[johnstoy]

Much better ;)
PM sent.


That stage shot Rene', was originally processed by me, from RAW manually... I usually convert them myself with no problems...
However, for the very first time in 1,000's of shots, this conversion went astray...something was wrong with the clarity and focus of the BG...also the blue channel was shot to hell...

This most recent conversion was form the original RAW capture... I used Canon's DPP to automatically convert the image to JPG...

Thereafter, I trimmed and adjusted the tilt, using the floor instead of the lights for the guideline... Lastly, I did apply some sharpening to the image...

I am very surprised that the entire image is in focus, and the blue channel wasn't entirely messed up... Thanks for the original critique... I wouldn't have tried to recover it otherwise...:D

Got your PM and forwarded image accordingly... When yo get a chance...Please let me know what you think/recommend, I should do with it...
(I'll be gone all day tomorrow...)

[Michael1116]

I picked number 7 for much of the same reasons already stated, however number 8 was a close second! I am sure the band will appreciate them all.

[René Damkot]

This is about what I'ld do:
Two curves layers. One to pull up the shadows, one for the entire image. Both masked to affect only the guitarist.
Then I used ManykSRS to get it to 800 px.
You should get better results if you start of the Raw.
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/POTN/IMG_20070531_9999_100.1.jpg (http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/POTN/IMG_20070531_9999_100.1.psd)

(You can click the image for the .psd file)

[squashed]

Hi John,

Im a fan of # 8 followed closely by #2 !! Have a great day..

[johnstoy]

I picked number 7 for much of the same reasons already stated, however number 8 was a close second! I am sure the band will appreciate them all.

Thanks for the feedback Michael...

I'm hoping the band members will check this thread out and get a better feel for these captures... I, just like they, am uncertain which are the best from this set... :rolleyes: :D

[johnstoy]

This is about what I'd do:
Two curves layers. One to pull up the shadows, one for the entire image. Both masked to affect only the guitarist.
Then I used ManykSRS to get it to 800 px.
You should get better results if you start of the Raw.
(You can click the image for the .psd file)

Thanks Rene'... I've just downloaded the PSD file... will use it to guide me through the adjustments from RAW...

There after, I'll send the updated versions of the " Stage" pic and this one, to the band...

They in turn invite me to their next upcoming show, at the "Mauch Chunk Opera House" in Jim Thorpe, PA, later this month...

[johnstoy]

Hi John,

I'm a fan of # 8 followed closely by #2 !! Have a great day..

Thanks Buddy...

Your feedback is greatly appreciated... I trust all is well in Bishop, CA... Is skiing done for the season at Mammoth?

Maybe some concerts/festivals there, would be possible in the future? Of course, I'm dreaming... Would love to be there...

Enjoy your day...

[col4bin]

I voted for #1. I love the angle and it looks like a great RnR moment.

[johnstoy]

I voted for #1. I love the angle and it looks like a great RnR moment.

Thanks for checking these out Frank...

These pics will soon be on the band's web site... Their first feature... :D

Craig Thatcher has invited me to the Mauch Chunk Opera House, their next local performance...