Critique Welcomed Bianca

[Brian Moore]

Bianca is a friend of my younger daughter, Meg. She is a senior at Huntington Beach High School, and she is a member of the same dance and choreography programs that Meg is involved in. Truth be told, Bianca is a very talented dancer and choreographer. Today she is auditioning for acceptance into a dance program at NYU. So Meg asked me on Friday night if I could get a "head shot" for Bianca's portfolio. (She had one already but her brother erased it off the memory card!) Of course I agreed.

So, late yesterday afternoon we went to the high school to take some shots. We were cutting it too close (due to a dance that Bianca was participating in earlier in the afternoon) and we didn't get to the location until after the best of the light had gone. Nevertheless, I got a few nice portraits (I think so anyway) and a few dance jumps before the sky went too dark.

As we were leaving I suggested to Bianca that she do a pose or two under the arches of one of the building passageways.

I learned a lot from this little shoot. All the images are from the Canon 7d with a Canon 50mm/f1.4 lens. The 50/1.4 makes a good portrait lens on a cropped sensor camera. (I got some nice swirly bokey on the portraits.)

Anyway, here are several from the night shots under the arches. Because these shots were a spur of the moment idea I failed to position myself well for some of them and so by necessity I had to do some cropping to get symmetry. (But that's one of the little lessons from this little shoot.)

I'd love to know what you think.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

I really like them, Brian, as they not only capture her movement but also help provide an ambience within which expressive dance can situate itself. Does that make any sense at all?! I think I'm trying to say that these movements would look fairly ordinary under a cold studio setting, or even on a stage. But here, the lighting and the situation immediately give a sense of something different, and she seems to be reacting to that. And the shots are of greater interest because of that.

Thankfully I don't try to make my living from reviewing contemporary dance!

 

[Glenn Clabo]

My first comment has nothing to do with what you were faced with. To me...it's an example of "I wish it was" photography. It happens to me all the time. I wish that bird was over there...I wish the sun was just a little to the left...I wish I could stop wishing. For this one...I wish the arch was lower and closer to the dancer.
That said...I really like this because of what you've created (with what you were presented with) by creating a feel for the dance...the moments.
Like Rob...I'll never be called a dance critique...but I do enjoy the photography of performances.

 

[Brian Moore]

I really like them, Brian, as they not only capture her movement but also help provide an ambience within which expressive dance can situate itself. Does that make any sense at all?! I think I'm trying to say that these movements would look fairly ordinary under a cold studio setting, or even on a stage. But here, the lighting and the situation immediately give a sense of something different, and she seems to be reacting to that. And the shots are of greater interest because of that.

Thankfully I don't try to make my living from reviewing contemporary dance!

Thank you, Rob. You write like a dance critic! Appreciate the thoughts, Rob.

 

[Brian Moore]

My first comment has nothing to do with what you were faced with. To me...it's an example of "I wish it was" photography. It happens to me all the time. I wish that bird was over there...I wish the sun was just a little to the left...I wish I could stop wishing. For this one...I wish the arch was lower and closer to the dancer.
That said...I really like this because of what you've created (with what you were presented with) by creating a feel for the dance...the moments.
Like Rob...I'll never be called a dance critique...but I do enjoy the photography of performances.

Thank you, Glenn. Your comments are appreciated and well-taken. Personally I quite like the high arch look, but that's a matter of personal taste and I can appreciate that it might not be everyone's cup of tea. As you can tell from these images I was shooting from an elevated perspective. The arched hallway is adjacent to a grassy knoll (nothing to do with Dallas) and with the 50mm being a bit long I was obliged to step up onto the knoll to get the archway in. I could have changed lenses but to be honest it was just a spur-of-the-moment event and I never thought about it at the time. (My Tokina 11-16 would have given me plenty of leeway had I but thought to use it.) Next time--if there is one--I'll shoot from ground level and see how that turns out. Thanks again, Glenn!

 

[Hamish Gill]

Really very good Brian, I like these a great deal! The simplicity of the first two make them for me I think!

 

[Paul Lange]

I like them, Brian. I think they came out very well and I love the small amount of detail on the dancer, rather than her just being all black. I would suggest cloning out the mark on the wall though.

 

[Brian Moore]

Really very good Brian, I like these a great deal! The simplicity of the first two make them for me I think!

Thank you, Hamish!

 

[Brian Moore]

I like them, Brian. I think they came out very well and I love the small amount of detail on the dancer, rather than her just being all black. I would suggest cloning out the mark on the wall though.

Thank you very much, Paul. Good idea about the mark on the wall.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thank you, Rob. You write like a dance critic!

What an insult!

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Brian these are superb. They work very well with or without the arch. I also like the way they are close to, but not silhouette. looks like a nice session.

 

[Brian Moore]

Brian these are superb. They work very well with or without the arch. I also like the way they are close to, but not silhouette. looks like a nice session.

Thank you, Julian. I struggled with the silhouette issue. More bright/less bright. You and Paul both commented on the small amount of detail so that is good to know. Thanks again.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Thank you, Julian. I struggled with the silhouette issue. More bright/less bright. You and Paul both commented on the small amount of detail so that is good to know. Thanks again.

Suits it very well as it is with the slight detail. Had you tried a square crop?

 

[Brian Moore]

Suits it very well as it is with the slight detail. Had you tried a square crop?

No I hadn't thought of the square crop, Julian. Might suit these, but I'd miss having the arch.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

Brilliant..... Should be proud of these Brian, they're very good!

 

[Brian Moore]

Brilliant..... Should be proud of these Brian, they're very good!

Thank you kindly, Dan. Much appreciated.

 

[Pete Askew]

I like these very much too Brian. I like the hints of detail and the 'distorted' tones and the almost film-like noise. My favourites are the 2nd and third but only because they seem to have more energy than the first for some reason.

 

[Brian Moore]

I like these very much too Brian. I like the hints of detail and the 'distorted' tones and the almost film-like noise. My favourites are the 2nd and third but only because they seem to have more energy than the first for some reason.

I find what you say about the "energy" very interesting, Pete. It never occurred to me. I guess I can see when I look at them now that perhaps the 1st one seems more static than the other two. Thank you, Pete. Much appreciated.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

I like the interplay between the dancer and the light playing on the back wary - almost like an invisible partner (or am I loosing it?)

 

[Brian Moore]

I like the interplay between the dancer and the light playing on the back wary - almost like an invisible partner (or am I loosing it?)

Thanks, Chris. Much obliged.