Critique Welcomed Violin solo

Peter Roberts

Peter Roberts

Well-Known Member
I'm not a great lover of long zooms but having had a Tamron Adaptall 80-250 sitting on a shelf for years I thought it was about time I give it a go.
A rocky country band playing on the bandstand at Greenwich Park last Bank Holiday Monday struck me as a suitable subject. Most of the images were so so although I rather like this one in spite of the fact that the more I look at it the more a think the background is too fussy.

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Minolta XD7 / Tamron Adaptall 80-250 f3.8-4.5 / Tri X / Fomadon
 
Yes, a bit fussy and slightly distracting, but I'm sure she'd be happy with the result. Not everyone notices what the photographer notices.
 
I think it's very nice Peter.
Personally, I think your gut is correct, but I'd think you could satisfy the nagging voice in your ear by a little judicious burning to the area just to the left of the subject's head. I think that's the spot that first pulls the eye out into the background.
 
Chris Bennett said:
I think it's very nice Peter.
Personally, I think your gut is correct, but I'd think you could satisfy the nagging voice in your ear by a little judicious burning to the area just to the left of the subject's head. I think that's the spot that first pulls the eye out into the background.
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Thanks for that input, Chris, it's appreciated.
You've nailed the problem area and I'll have to play around and see if I can tone it down a bit by burning.
I'm hesitant to write it off as an 'also ran' because because I like the composition, especially the angle of the bow. It's just that the background light lets it down.
 
It strikes me as a real life photograph. I see it as probably the viewers from the first row of seats had seen her. Off all the elements within the image, I am looking at her expression: it is the way it should be. Focused, seeing with the eye of the mind the notes in front of her. It's perfect ? I guess not, but then I am interested in how real the moment has been depicted by the photographer, less so about the little imperfections.

I like this one very much, Peter, good photograph!
 
Julian Tanase said:
It strikes me as a real life photograph. I see it as probably the viewers from the first row of seats had seen her. Off all the elements within the image, I am looking at her expression: it is the way it should be. Focused, seeing with the eye of the mind the notes in front of her. It's perfect ? I guess not, but then I am interested in how real the moment has been depicted by the photographer, less so about the little imperfections.

I like this one very much, Peter, good photograph!
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That's actually the stance I usually take, Julian. Every photo, unless taken under strictly controlled studio conditions, is by its nature slightly imperfect. Unlike other visual 'art' forms a photographer cannot manipulate what real life has presented him and/or eliminate elements that spoil the image. Well, computer wizardry can do that post for him these days but that is straying too near AI for my liking. The traditional darkroom wrinkles like dodging, burning and different grades of paper, even if computer replicated, are good enough for me and beyond them I don't go.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. It's much appreciated.
 
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