I'm new here so let's have a look

[mellowinman]

The guitar behind the tuba, is that an 8 string guitar or bass (like a 12 string guitar)? I notice it is short, so maybe something else.

As for the blue light, I don't mean extinguish it, just maybe not as bright. There are other lights on the amp, just not as bright.

It's a mandolin.

And again I say the blue light is beautiful.

[Bambi]

It's a mandolin.

And again I say the blue light is beautiful.

ah but Tiger said what I would say as well- not being a musician. that's the problem with knowledge. I am typically refraining myself on horse shots because my knowledge prevents me from being objective.

all that said, I quite like the angle and comp of this shot. It seems to capture a moment in which the instruments have been put down briefly. I like the grittiness too but I might play with the colour a bit to make it a bit less saturated and see if that enhances it at all. But that's me, it's your shot and you have to be happy with it. And the suggestion may not work anyway.

[Marko]

I quite like the image as a whole, my gripe is with the title - lol.
For me the tuba is not the star of the show, all the instruments are sharing the light so I might have called it Studio Break Time
This is a fab setup though and many cool variations are possible!

[GDub]

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to critique the image! The theme of the show was the "depression era" or rather the journey from that one to this one (by rail). All the music was original and my friend (and band mate) the tuba player wrote the lyrics--hence the "inside joke" using "with tuba" in the title. The backdrop set design was the side of an old boxcar with a window that had various landscapes rear projected onto it. The theater space was very small and we were sitting in the front row so many of my shots were taken from stage level. Also, the front person (singer and acoustic guitarist) had a music stand with a large white binder that I was constantly trying to work around. The photographic exercise for me was to find interesting frames from one position. I was shooting with my Canon G11. It's a very unobtrusive camera because of its size, but especially so because of the articulated LCD screen. The "Still life..." image was not my favorite from that night, but I liked it enough to post it on my blog several days after the show.

Sláinte! (FTR, my Mom was Irish, so, as they say, "I've got a little Irish on me.")

[asnow]

Love the mood and composition. I have to admit I too thought that the blue light was a bit distracting and that it could be toned down just a touch, Mind you if you like it as is then go with it. You are the one who counts. As Iggy said "Just print it and hang it on the wall"

[theantiquetiger]

Love the mood and composition. I have to admit I too thought that the blue light was a bit distracting and that it could be toned down just a touch, Mind you if you like it as is then go with it. You are the one who counts. As Iggy said "Just print it and hang it on the wall"

The human eye is naturally attracted to light. That is why I think the blue light is robbing the rest of the image.

[NorthStone]

I agree with theantiquetiger about the blue light. Once you notice it it has a magnetic distraction that takes your eye away from the other elements.

[mellowinman]

ah but Tiger said what I would say as well- not being a musician. that's the problem with knowledge. I am typically refraining myself on horse shots because my knowledge prevents me from being objective.

all that said, I quite like the angle and comp of this shot. It seems to capture a moment in which the instruments have been put down briefly. I like the grittiness too but I might play with the colour a bit to make it a bit less saturated and see if that enhances it at all. But that's me, it's your shot and you have to be happy with it. And the suggestion may not work anyway.

But it's not my shot.

[Bambi]

But it's not my shot.

yes I know- I was responding to you and the OP.