live music shots

[lopp]

hi. i have a new photoblog and thought it would be pretty cool to get some feedback on a few images, i will begin with some live music shots, keen to get some constructive feedback, here they are:

http://www.juxprose.com/index.php?showimage=52
http://www.juxprose.com/index.php?showimage=25
http://www.juxprose.com/index.php?showimage=61
http://www.juxprose.com/index.php?showimage=51
http://www.juxprose.com/index.php?showimage=58

all taken with a canon eos300 and fuji black and white film, most likely all on ap priority at f4.

thanks!

[jppribeiro]

remove the first one from that list and I think you'll a pretty good set of photos!! the second and the last ones are my favourite!

[lopp]

thanks a lot for the comments jppribeiro, i'm interested why you said remove the first one, as i think that's the strongest....

[blinking8s]

man, i would love to go shoot that.

I am not a big fan of #1, it's just the framing that bothers me, how is mic is exiting the frame.

#2 is a little blah, the crowd just doesnt seem into it, would be a better shot if the scene was more helpful

#3 is sweet, could use a little more contrast or darkness, no true blacks in the shot, but the truncation of the guys arm on the mixer lets you know what he is doing, it's pretty solid composition

#4 you need his hand, try not to cut off limbs, whena musician is on stage their body language is everything, and hands and arms are a big part of that

#5 is artsy, but doesnt really fit the set

[Joe[y]]

numero 5 is my favourite. probably cause it's 'artsy' - i really like it.

[lopp]

really useful comments blinking8s - thanks a lot.

what you said about number 3 is interesting, about no true blacks and needing more contrast. i pretty much rely on photoshop to do this, but do you have any tips of achieving this without the need for photoshop? thanks.

[jppribeiro]

I guess #1 doens't call my attantion that's all, maybe with a diferent composition... but I love the vintage look of the #3. I don't see a problem with the absense of true blacks...

[blinking8s]

what you said about number 3 is interesting, about no true blacks and needing more contrast. i pretty much rely on photoshop to do this, but do you have any tips of achieving this without the need for photoshop? thanks.

well, it's pretty much showing how the exposure was on the negative correct? Photoshop is like you're printer/enlarger and that where the you would tone, or process the image to correct what wasnt right with you're camera setting, either by adding contrast or time to the print. But in photoshop, if you pull up you're levels (Ctrl + L) and hold down Alt, while holding Alt down drag the black slider to the right, this will actually stay white until a true black is present, you will see it apear where the image is. When you are happy with the level of blacks in the image you let go. You don't have to hold down Alt, but the graph isnt always the best way and I find Alt to be the most efficient, using my eyes rather than some scale.

[lopp]

excellent, thanks for the tip blinking8s, will have a play around with that.

jppribeiro - a few people have mentioned the vintage look of that shot (and others taken on the same night), i don't really see it, glad you like it, thanks for the comments.