Seal@Chumash Casino Resort - August 9, 2012

#1

#2, 6 and 8 for me.

René Damkot wrote in post #15222672
#2, 6 and 8 for me.

Good choices ... I could not believe the amount of smoke they let loose!

Yes, 2, 6 and 8 for me too. I would drop 7, it seems very unflattering and up the nose shots shouldn't really be that much up the nose including hairs...

Great captures...1 and 3 are my favs.

Good set. 2 and 3 for me.

Thanks, Cosmo!

As to #7, it is 'up the nose' and the depth of field is a little shallow (it was shot fairly close with a 300mm f/2.8L IS at f/3.5) but it does a grand job on the texturing and coloration of his face that none of the rest of my images presented.

#2, great shot.

DwightMcCann wrote in post #15226959
At to #7, it is 'up the nose' and the depth of field is a little shallow (it was shot fairly close with a 300mm f/2.8L IS at f/3.5) but it does a grand job on the texturing and coloration of his face that none of the rest of my images presented.

Understand, still don't like it though...

... but hey, I'm not the paying customer, so my opinion doesn't matter!

No. 6 & 7 for me.
Great shoots, many thanks for the sharing!

white_aardvark wrote in post #15229091
Understand, still don't like it though...

... but hey, I'm not the paying customer, so my opinion doesn't matter!

Clearly a lot of folks don't like it! Fortunately I get paid a fair amount for every concert (even if the talent has a hissy-fit and I'm not allowed to shoot ... which has happened twice) and no one at the client ever critiques my images. Also, the client gets all the pictures (including additional ones not posted here or on my website) so if they don't like one or two it doesn't matter. I do thoroughly understand why people don't like the image so I'm not saying you should like it.

I post here for two reasons: (1) Google finds my pictures better than elsewhere, and (2) Rene gives me consistently excellent critique that I take to heart ... he has dramatically helped my composition at concerts and pointed out things that I simply don't see ... and in addition he was instrumental in getting me to shoot RAW and use color management. He is high on my list of people to visit when I finally get to Europe.

DwightMcCann wrote in post #15229675
I post here for two reasons: (1) Google finds my pictures better than elsewhere, and (2) Rene gives me consistently excellent critique that I take to heart ...

Totally understand! Seems to me like you have a good gig going at the casino. I hope you also want our comments, otherwise we should just open a subforum for Rene!

(He does provide valuable feedback!)

white_aardvark wrote in post #15229837
Totally understand! Seems to me like you have a good gig going at the casino. I hope you also want our comments, otherwise we should just open a subforum for Rene!

(He does provide valuable feedback!)

While I think a Rene subforum would be extremely valuable, it is probably not necessary as he does not appear to feel restrained in here with the rest of us. I actually do have the best gig of anyone I know, by far ... don't claim I deserve it and I can't justify it but I have it anyway.

It's nice to know what non-Rene thinkers think ... back in the "old days" (four or five years ago) we would get into longer discussions about clipping guitar heads and positioning and how to deal with that and magenta lighting, but then it got to where there were only two or three of us commenting/discussing. AND you would not believe the number of guys who NEVER commented on others' posts complaining that no one was commenting on theirs! When I pointed that out they would say, "But I'm here to learn and need comments, I'm not here to comment on others stuff." I guess as the crowd has gotten younger they have felt more entitled ... I'm 67. Anyway, I would love to have more participation and deeper interaction. Sadly, I'm not a music person, have no clue who bands are until I look in Wikipedia and certainly don't know the individual musicians and can't contribute that way. I just have great equipment (see my gear list) and a great venue who pays me a lot of money to do what I do.

Bah, deserve, not deserve - things just happen and you were there, all power to you! You certainly provide excellent images and I would go so far as to say it is not only because of the gear you own (yes, it is pretty impressive!).

It doesn't make sense to me just to post and expect commentary without giving feedback on the work of others.

In any case, love the fact that we have interaction going here!

white_aardvark wrote in post #15229920
Bah, deserve, not deserve - things just happen!

Hahaha! Yes, but you wouldn't believe the number of guys who have told me I can't justify more than two bodies and can't justify having lenses with so much overlap or a studio when I so rarely shoot in it. I had one guy start in on an ROI (return on investment) analysis to prove I couldn't justify it. Others ask how I hide all this from my wife ... seriously. Everything I have was paid for by my business and after eight years I expect to turn a profit next year.

There also used to be a night club thread in here that was utterly stunning with incredible insight and techniques. A few of the whiners complained until it got moved to People (I think) and now seems defunct. Things just seem to unwind after a few years.

I have met a number of photographers over the years through POTN, so many even locally that I have an annual BBQ in August (there is still a link to our last one's thread in my .sig.) First year I did it there were six moderators ... not so many anymore, usually only one, Skip Souza. Belmondo also came once or twice. But we still get a great turnout with 15 to 20 photographers and families.

The other thing that has happened is that I now have photographer friends all over the world that I've never met. I have several cities in the USA that I will schedule trips to (now that I am retired from the university) in order to meet some. I am leaving Monday to go to Australia for 2-1/2 weeks to shoot with Jason Cole in Wollongong (near Sydney), an ex-glamor photographer who now does weddings and families and babies, and Richard Sharman (who has been banned here so often that the no longer participates) in Melbourne where we'll be shooting a band. I have also had Frank Doorhof, Dutch fashion photographer, stay with me and we will be visiting with him next year when we go to Paris ... also met in the Glamor section. And we may try to meet with Rene at the same time. I also have a trip planned to South Africa in 2014 where I have five or six photographer friends from POTN. And I've got a couple of Russian girl photographers I may visit in 2016 ... although I met them on Facebook. We have a fairly large home with a guestroom and invite lots of folks to visit but it's not easy for most so we've only had five or six over the years.