Using a single strobe - creative examples - mark II

[sc0rp]

Originally Posted by JayStar86

Here is one from me:

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaygillphotography/5233841388/]/URL]

Nice, I would of maybe cropped the image a little bit so you can't see her dress.

[Seanzky]

Originally Posted by dave63

Tell the guy, second from right, that Simon LeBon did it already.

I'm not sure if you're talking about my post. But if you are, I'm not sure how to take your critique. Is my photograph bad because the "second guy from the right" did something Simon LeBon did already? Or are you asking me to scold him for doing something Simon LeBon has already done? Either way, what does your comment have to do anything with my photo? Please explain. Thanks.

[TMR Design]

HI Sean,

I could be wrong and I won't speak for the poster but the way I read it was the same as saying something like "the 80's called. Simon LeBon wants his hair style back" and I saw it as slightly humorous and not a knock at the image.

I like the shots and I dig the black and white conversions.

[Seanzky]

Ah, thanks! I get it now. I didn't mean to be defensive. I think I take critiques better than most. Hehe.

I really didn't know what he meant. I thought he meant the pose was a "copy" which I don't think Bryan (2nd guy from the left) would have known. And frankly I didn't know at the time or even when I was working on the image. But if it's the hair/look and was meant as a joke, then cool. I totally get it.

[dave63]

Originally Posted by TMR Design

HI Sean,

I could be wrong and I won't speak for the poster but the way I read it was the same as saying something like "the 80's called. Simon LeBon wants his hair style back" and I saw it as slightly humorous and not a knock at the image.

I like the shots and I dig the black and white conversions.

This.

I was also referring to the jacket, as well as the hairstyle, the pose.... all that.
As a former professional musician who lived through the 80's with a certain sense of bewilderment, stuff like this is the first thing I think of when I see band pics.

[Seanzky]

Well the jacket couldn't be helped. He was hanging outside the window, on a ledge of a high rise building in downtown Manhattan and it was cold last night. He's actually overlooking the city streets in the full shot.

As for the hairdo, and whatever else, I think style in general tend to recycle themselves. Mohawk was cool once and now it's back. The same with a mullet. I see some kids rockin' it once again.

Anyway, I understand what you're saying now. I guess your post wasn't a critique... it was more like just a comment? Thank you? :/

[dave63]

(...sigh...) okay, we're not referring to the practicality of the jacket, nor the necessity... we're referring to the style...

[dave63]

Originally Posted by Seanzky

Anyway, I understand what you're saying now. I guess your post wasn't a critique... it was more like just a comment? Thank you? :/

Right. It was a light-hearted, slightly sarcastic moment relative to the discipline we're all here for, which is photography. Much as if someone had posted a comment after a model's headshot "Better makeup would make her look more expensive."

There's a tendency to overthink things to the serious around here, I've noticed.

[Seanzky]

Okay. Can I have some real critiques now? Good? Bad? Don't-dos? Bad PP? Lighting?

[dave63]

Originally Posted by Seanzky

Okay.
For my eye, the two on the left seem a little too different than the other three, where lighting and location are concerned. So, compositionally, it's a bit lopsided. In my opinion.
I really like the lighting on the guy in the center (presumably the lead singer, as rock'n'roll goes). Five pictures of that lighting approach would have been more appealing to my eye.

(Just guessing, from L-R: drums, bass, vox, keys, guitar. Rite? Amirite?)

[Seanzky]

Originally Posted by dave63

(...sigh...) okay, we're not referring to the practicality of the jacket, nor the necessity... we're referring to the style...

GASP! God forbid someone else wears a similar jacket or hairdo, I'd have to warn them that a "light-hearted, slightly sarcastic" comment might be on its way. We wouldn't want that person to "overthink [sic] things" and take it the wrong way.

Like that?

Honestly, you've got me curious how your hair looks like. It has got to be the most unique one out there that no one else has ever done. It just has to be.

[Seanzky]

Originally Posted by dave63

Okay.
For my eye, the two on the left seem a little too different than the other three, where lighting and location are concerned. So, compositionally, it's a bit lopsided. In my opinion.
I really like the lighting on the guy in the center (presumably the lead singer, as rock'n'roll goes). Five pictures of that lighting approach would have been more appealing to my eye.

(Just guessing, from L-R: drums, bass, vox, keys, guitar. Rite? Amirite?)

Thank you! Now that's what I was looking for. Point considered and I've taken a mental note. And you're right, I didn't consider the backgrounds until I was done. I have my reasons for shooting them the way I did individually though, which I won't get into for the fear of sounding defensive... I'm not. I do appreciate your critique. Thanks.

L-R: drums, keys, vocal, guitar, bass. Two out of five just from looking at them? Not bad!

[dave63]

Really, this isn't meant to be a challenge. Wait until you get a little older, and you'll find that a certain level of jadedness comes with the territory. If you're lucky, so does a certain sense of humor about everything we do, as humans. Like when you see kids walking down the street in Docs, black trenchcoats, and electric mohawks, as if it's unique. Or, as you pointed out aptly, like how we go in cycles with everything, as if we're searching for something the second or third time around that we might have missed the first 2 times.

[dave63]

Originally Posted by Seanzky

Thank you! Now that's what I was looking for. Point considered and I've taken a mental note. And you're right, I didn't consider the backgrounds until I was done.

I've done that I don't know how many times. You get so focused on capturing the face for the theme that the background gets swept aside.

Originally Posted by Seanzky

I have my reasons for shooting them the way I did individually though, which I won't get into for the fear of sounding defensive... I'm not.

Then, share them!
You never know if your shared reason might give someone else pause for rethinking their approach when in a similar situation.
Your fear of sounding defensive will put you exactly there: defensive. it will make what you write, defensive. Stand by your convictions. Even if you see them as wrong 5 years from now, they are yours, now, and work for you, now. That's how we grow.

Originally Posted by Seanzky

I do appreciate your critique. Thanks.

Good. I'm glad you found something about our exchange to appreciate.

Originally Posted by Seanzky

L-R: drums, keys, vocal, guitar, bass. Two out of five just from looking at them? Not bad!

Meh. My average is off. 'Chick' bassists seem to be all the rage, lately, and the guitarist (son of LeBon) has all the classic features of an 80's synth/keyboardist. As a drummer (primarily), I can almost always recognize "one of us". Plus, our vocation usually puts us to the far side or back of any band shot. It's instinctual in every band... can't be helped. Hell, even though the Police was Stewart's band, he never had front and center in the pics.

[Seanzky]

Originally Posted by dave63

Really, this isn't meant to be a challenge. Wait until you get a little older, and you'll find that a certain level of jadedness comes with the territory. If you're lucky, so does a certain sense of humor about everything we do, as humans. Like when you see kids walking down the street in Docs, black trenchcoats, and electric mohawks, as if it's unique. Or, as you pointed out aptly, like how we go in cycles with everything, as if we're searching for something the second or third time around that we might have missed the first 2 times.

Lol. I didn't disagree with what you said and I have excellent sense of humor according to me. Believe me (you have no choice at this point), I really do. I can take a joke and I can give it back.

It's just this:

Originally Posted by Seanzky

Any C&C, as always, is appreciated and always welcomed. Thanks!

Originally Posted by dave63

Tell the guy, second from right, that Simon LeBon did it already.

If you said what you said a few posts above and then that, we wouldn't be having this discussion.