Jazz

[jjeling]

My brothers jazz band got together a this week and put together a recording. He asked me to take the pictures. Kind of bothered me because then he asked me to burn them onto a cd so he could give them to someone who would put together a poster. I did it and handed the original images over to a complete stranger, but thats life I guess. Here are a couple of them. The color balance is a little messed up on them but I thought Id get your opinions as well.

[jjeling]

The horn section

[jjeling]

Took this one for fun

[Mad Aussie]

Apart from the last one for fun (that came out great), they all suffer from a lack of light I think.

Do you not have a flash or do you have a particular aversion to using it? If so, I'd say learn to use it better. And/or ... learn to provide light in other ways.

The lack of light seems to have created various issues I can see from lack of sharpness to lack of luminence and colour and contrast. With a filter applied these images could still be very nice but as they are I think you've done much better.

Composition wise I particularly like the 2 brass shots.

The girl shot, well I like your thinking and can see what you were going for, but just didn't quite hit it I don't think.

The drummer shot seems average to me I'm afraid.

[jjeling]

MA, your spot on with this one. It is upstairs in a garage where there is absolutely no light. The sheet behind the drummer is the only window and its covered up. I brought 3 construction lights up there, and a couple of old light bars, along with the overhead lighting, but those are flourescents and dont really count for much. Didnt want to use the flash as I am deathly afraid of it. Should probably be something I start trying. Everyone got so happy when I turned all my lights on. My brother likes to "set a tone" when he plays, but noone can read their music, I just wish I had more lights to fill the room up.

[Mad Aussie]

Well sounds like you tried with the lighting. Something more directional might have given you what you needed.

What IS that last shot of? :confused:

[jjeling]

A couple of microphones

[Mad Aussie]

Ah I can see that now. Cool.

[jlabel]

Well WB if off balance, but the other thing that caught my attention is that you zoomed em very much, and except for the fourth picture no one else is looking or facing the photographer which makes you a passer by photographer

[jjeling]

I would have loved to get them looking at each other but it wasnt possible. They were making a recording, and as AL probably knows all too much, they were seperated quite a ways apart for a isolation. Getting them looking at each other was not possible. The lighting was poor and Ill post where I was taking pictures from later. Maybe that might help you guys direct me a little better with it..

[tomorrowstreasures]

JJ - I agree with MA in that lighting is what makes or breaks an image - particularly one that is associated strongly with one of the senses and or emotions, in this case hearing/ music within a specific genre. I think that had you been able to pull off a strong mood with lighting you would be happier with your images. Maybe use of a tripod as well to sharpen them up a bit...
hope that is helpful...

[jjeling]

Thanks. Yeah Im not too sure how to manage this situation. I think maybe next time I will be using my flash. I think it will help out.