C&C Please : A Band's Singer.

[Zeabrid]

First time shooting a band indoors. Aiming mainly for the singer, trying to isolate. How'd I do? Larger versions at Flickr in sig.

Please & Thank you!

http://zeabrid.smugmug.com/photos/447019926_xkMK6-M.jpg
http://zeabrid.smugmug.com/photos/447019821_vb25a-M.jpg

[joedlh]

If you were focusing on the singer, then he doesn't fill the image enough and the other stuff is a distraction. You need to get closer next time. It would also be better to have him on the left side looking into the image rather than out of it.

[Walczak Photo]

I agree with joe that if the singer was supposed to be the main subject here, you were so far away that it was totally ineffective. In addition to that, both shots are waaaaay to dark on my monitor. The exposure for the subject may be correct due to the stage lights, but in the first shot for example, what...80% of the shot is nothing but black? Also, I have to say that I find the angle very distracting here. I'm not trying to be rude here, but honestly these just look like some snapshots that were taken from a balcony or something and then converted to b&w...I'm not really sure I see the point.

Just my $02 worth,
Jim

[cryforashadow]

At least crop the first.
[and get rid of the second? SORRY!]

[acchildress]

Also the way the shots are stacked together it's hard to tell where one stops and the other starts. Put a blank line between the url addresses and I think that will fix them.

[iN5P1R3]

The images are way too dark and your subject is fills a tiny portion of the frame.

The best advice I can give you is to get a longer lens. I recommend a 85mm f/1.8, or the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS (if money is not a problem), or the 100mm f/2, or the 135mm f/2L. Choose the focal length that best suits your needs.

[JaiMoney]

I'm no pro but I would suggest not centering him. Like joedlh said, having him look from left to right INTO the picture would've been great! Looks good, just too much dead space!

[watson10]

Wow. These just don't have it. So much is lacking that it's really hard to know where to start. Maybe the delete key?

[Zeabrid]

Wow. These just don't have it. So much is lacking that it's really hard to know where to start. Maybe the delete key?

Well, being a dick isn't helping.

[Robbierob]

Wow. These just don't have it. So much is lacking that it's really hard to know where to start. Maybe the delete key?

Thats just wrong!!!

Keep shooting. I know that shooting bands, live in less than disirable lighting can be tough.

I am going to go outside the box here and say that image one has my interest. It seems almost like the singer has a spot on him. I even like the drums silouetted in the background, but get closer, crop, and move the singer to the left of the shot singing to the right it appears he is singing out to the abyss.

It takes nerve to join a site and then put your work up for strangers to CC...bravo. We are all here to learn!

[watson10]

Sorry folks if I'm not being helpful. Not my intention at all. But zeabrid you're off base. You don't know me nor my intent. If those were my photos I would've deleted them. No offense meant to you. Robbierob, you are absolutely correct that we are all here to learn. Especially me. I'm not sure how much nerve it takes to post a photo but everyone's different. I guess, to me, when someone posts in the "critique" corner I thought that meant they were asking for people to critique them. Let's say I post a photo here and you think as you're looking at it: "This photo is one of the worst I've seen". Should you type that or say nothing? If you say nothing I will think that I shot a good photo and never improve. If you say that is the worst photo you've ever seen then I might have my feelings hurt for minute but I've really learned something that can help me learn.

I thought it was kind of funny that my sincere comments were deemed "Thats just wrong!!" But "being a dick isn't helping" was ok to say. I guess this is the world we live in.

[Robbierob]

Watson,
IMHO
I agree in principal with what you are saying, however, there is a way of saying things to help a person become better, and there are ways that come across as flip and, frankly, rude. If you posted that the shots did not impress you, but offered a solution, kudo's to you, but if you just tell a guy, who obviously wanted to get some help, to delete his work, well that doesnt do him, you, or, the other viewers any good.

As for his "being a dick" comment. I agree that it is inappropriate, but you threw the first salvo and told him that his stuff is only worthy of deletion.

however, you are right....I should not of placed my opinion of my perception of your comment in my reply to the photo. I should of just offered my critique. I hope there is no harm, no foul.
cheers

[watson10]

Robbierob, no harm no foul. I take what you said.I have more thoughts on public critquing but this is not the place for discussing them. BTW I'm not sure you if you meant it as a play on mispelling but your sig should be ineptitude. Maybe I don't get the humor. lol.

As for zeabrid I see according to your myspace account your 18 years old so that explains your vocabulary towards me. Too bad we started off like this, I like some of your photos on your Flickr account.

[Zeabrid]

Robbierob, no harm no foul. I take what you said.I have more thoughts on public critquing but this is not the place for discussing them. BTW I'm not sure you if you meant it as a play on mispelling but your sig should be ineptitude. Maybe I don't get the humor. lol.

As for zeabrid I see according to your myspace account your 18 years old so that explains your vocabulary towards me. Too bad we started off like this, I like some of your photos on your Flickr account.

My choice of vocabulary towards you has absolutely nothing to do with my age, and if you would've originally offered something more than a comment deserving of an equally retailitory response, maybe you would've actually gotten the chance to converse with me.

Your intent was well, but your overall presentation of your own self was far off base.

[F4 Cyborg]

If I had the original file I might could have opened it up a bit more without scatter. gray scale 11k is sorta small

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/3170797547_da6a405b3e_o.jpg

[F4 Cyborg]

never delete unless you willing to admit defeat
If we were all perfect a Bentley would sell for pocket change.

[Zeabrid]

If I had the original file I might could have opened it up a bit more without scatter. gray scale 11k is sorta small

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/3170797547_da6a405b3e_o.jpg

I don't really know what you were going for there, but here's the original:

http://terite.com/Mike/IMG_0594.CR2

[watson10]

Ok since this is getting nowhere I'll leave this thread with this:

I +1 cryforashadow's post

[F4 Cyborg]

Camera's run on programs, this is nothing new. Sometimes you have to give them an attitude adjustment.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/3172173532_9abd2c7eb8.jpg

[midnitejam]

Camera's run on programs, this is nothing new. Sometimes you have to give them an attitude adjustment.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3109/3172173532_9abd2c7eb8.jpg

This is a spectacular save

[F4 Cyborg]

one more edit coming up

[F4 Cyborg]

singer isolated. sorta
Without the band the singers is kinda flat, and without an audionce there's no one to sing too.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/3171418773_6198978f44_o.jpg

[watson10]

F4 you are a master (at least in my book). I agree with midnite jam. Spectacular!

[F4 Cyborg]

Zeabrid took the photograph, it was there- all it needed was a tweak to turn on the lights. Believe it or not that's just a smidgen above basic editing skills. Jack of a few things master of none (yet)
You want to see some really scarry stuff find one of the PS guru's, now in PS their the masters.

[Zeabrid]

The entire point was just to isolate him the way I originally had it :-/
What's the point of dropping IQ in order to brighten the non-subjects?

[re_guderian]

Add some of the audience so he's singing to someone, and crop to add attention to the singer. The spotlight in the room already "highlights" the singer enough in my book. To get more of an emphasis on him you'd need a different perspective I'd think, either in the audience or "backstage" such that it is... BTW, ISO 400 is way too low for that environment. I'm not sure what the max is on the XS, but I'd have used 1600 (or higher if it has it) and dealt with the noise later. You would've had a lot more options in post processing...

edit -> just saw your post about wanting to isolate the singer. How about image #2 with the band darkened? If you don't want any band or any audience, you should then crop in close on only the singer.

edit #2 -> in the original first picture, I'll admit I had to stare at it for a while to figure out what it actually was (The post title helped, but it should be obvious from the picture) other than a few blobs of white on a black background...

[F4 Cyborg]

You asked for CC, sometimes showing is easier than trying to explain.
In the dark facing into nowhere
No Dropping of IQ layer masking (quick like) and some curves.
Composition is like color we all see it differently. If I see someone standing alone in the dark, for me it is a short story.
I still see a singer ramped into his own world, with a story of where his world is.
It's your post and you Photograph, you can pull them if you like. I figured a Picture was a thousand words, worth of trying to explain.
PS its still your photograph, now it's lite so you can isolate it your way.

[Andregen8]

Zeabird,
Night photography is challenging...even more so, live concert photography is the toughest genre of photography (IMO). Keep taking your pictures and as someone mentioned earlier, get some longer focal length fast glass. I don't know what type of glass you already have. Yes, fast glass is expensive, but even a prime 85 f1.8 is reasonable on ebay. Even better save for a 70-200L f2.8IS. Try to get closer obviously, but easier said than done. Additionally, try shooting up rather than down onto you subjects, this way your can use existing light better. Some stage lighting can be remarkable. You are taking up a very challenging type of photography, but it is very rewarding...keep shooting!