Rick is a big bloke: build, character and voice. The focus on each of these photographs of Rick is out but the feature image is out less than the others.
I would have liked to have featured the B&W conversion as it exemplifies some of the aspects I was trying to achieve. The lighting in the parish hall was high and very even but there was some natural light coming in from behind the piano and there was one angle from which I could catch some of the light on the profile (trying to learn that from Peter's nephew's photos on Flickr!). When shooting a singer (very tempting!) it is easy to end up with facial ticks/distortions because of the very act of singing: I wanted to avoid this. The feature shot shows Rick digging deep for the quintessential bass sound, whereas the B&W was after feedback and shows him reaching for a lighter "colour" to his voice.
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4 comments:
I like the way you are now aware of what you are trying to achieve, and even why it didn't work. It can only be a matter of time before it all clicks, and you'll be away with a resounding wooosh!
I do find the sloping brickwork a little disturbing though....
The sloping brickwork balances the tilt of Rick's head! Actually, it is because I am still on my Ls for the tripod. I was swinging it between shots and sometimes I did not get it just right or the screw as not tight enough and it "slid".
I do find I need to be more patient. I have this unfortunate attitude that if I take 150 shots surely some will be okay.
I prefer the 4th one with his hand raised and the movement blur. I have a problem with not slowing down. I panic and feel I have to get it over with quickly so people don't get annoyed with me. Its why so many of mine are out of focus. I need to slow down.
The panic and the need to slow down I know well. Oftentimes I transfer my panic onto the subject and think it is them who is becoming impatient whereas that is probably not the case at all. I am just nervous and embarrassed and realise mid-shoot that I am shit at this and the subject will realise pretty soon now!! I also have an insecurity thing about checking or altering my settings: I avoid it because it makes it seem that I am a novice (which I am) and dont know how the camera should be set. Sometimes I am so insecure that I dont check my settings and I dont check the quality of the shot on playback thereby just continuing to take the same problem. Me oh my ...
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