Portrait of Bruce

[Brian Moore]

Bruce by brian-moore, on Flickr

I took this shot on stage before the opening curtain of The Nutcracker in December 2009. Bruce portrays the father in the opening scene. The Party Scene. I was prowling around with my old Canon T-50, intending to get some shots of the dancers in costume. (I had recently been inspired by the backstage Moulin Rouge shots by Brassai.) I think I had Fuji Neopan 1600 film in the camera. Anyway, I spotted Bruce sitting there and remarkably there were no kids or other dancers or actors nearby him for a moment and I went to snap his picture. But his face was in shadow so I told him "Bruce, lift your head a little," as I wanted the overhead lights to illuminate his face just a bit. This picture is the result.

I got some nice shots of the dancers later too, especially during the "Snow Scene." But this one of Bruce is one of my favorites.

 

[Pete Askew]

And what a great picture it is! Wonderful. Even though this is your favourite, I'd still love to see the others.

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Has a great theatrical feel to it - love the way the blackness wraps around the subject, and the wide'ish angle lens pulls you in

 

[Hamish Gill]

I really like it too!
Theatrical is the word that came into my head too ...
Its a sort of unnatural pose that adds to the theatrical nature of it ...
Reminds me of a exhibition I saw at a gallery in Worcester (can't remember who the photo was unfortunately) of actors before they went on stage ... I really liked it, there was sonyhing about the way they looked that captured something in the pre stage mood somehow ...

 

[Brian Moore]

Pete and Chris, thanks very much. This was luck. (But I look at picture-taking the same way I look at football: I might only score on one or two of every 24 or 36 shots,...but if I don't shoot I'll never score.)

Chris: It was indeed a wide angle lens. Canon FD 28mm.
Pete: I'll post a few dancer shots this weekend.

Thanks again.

 

[Brian Moore]

Thank you Hamish. I've always thought that Bruce's slight tilt upward of the head is what really made this picture. It set a particular look into his face that to me characterizes him as both confidant and challenging. Thanks again.

 

[Pete Askew]

I do like those back stage shots Brian, especially the one with the light pouring past the girl waiting to go on stage. Great series.

 

[Brian Moore]

Thank you very much, Pete. I was going to post a couple of the dance shots today since you asked about them earlier in the week. Not sure which one you're referring to in your post but here are a couple I like.


Handing out the snow, Stage Left by brian-moore, on Flickr


Mary and her Lambs Wait Their Turn by brian-moore, on Flickr

 

[Pete Askew]

It was that second shot. Wonderful light and it really captures the tension of pending entrance.

 

[Hamish Gill]

I like the first, showed it to Hannah ... She liked it a lot too!