Concert in the park

[Starburst]

I posted those two pictures in a another (german) forum which is basically exclusively for digital photgraphy and has lots of users but is thus quite mainstream. The pictures were basically ignored, the two comments I got were actually quite negative. I really love those pictures but I also recognise that you can sometimes like specific aspects of a picture or have very fond memories taking the pictures and thus not really see the pictures weaknesses. I would love to get some second opinions here in the rff-forum even if it only confirms the negative reviews I got in the other forum. Thanks!

Taken with a Kodak Retina IIa on Ilford HP5+


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2)

 

[colyn]

I personally don't see anything wrong with either photo. In fact I like them. The Retina did a fine job..

I find that a lot of digital forums put down film photos so I pretty much stay away from them..

 

[yanidel]

The first one is a good one. I like the contrasts, color and attitude of band player. I also like the fact that we see a distant background behind the van
Two things are a little bit bothering though :
- you have cut the singer feet. I'd either leave them in or frame just above the shoe.
- the shadow of the person next to the singer feet. It is just taking unneeded attention away from the scene.
I would also have liked the singer to look at you. Would have been awesome.
These are details, but details is IMO the difference between good and great.

The second one doesn't work for me in terms of composition. Something's wrong with the lines (and the man shadow)

Hope this helped.

 

[arthur sadowsky]

I think you have to be proud of yourself: the live performance momentum is totally there!

And the fact that you've used Kodak Retina IIa makes your pics and your photo photo work even more precious!!

Please, keep up your talented work, more pics!!

 

[martin s]

On the German board, the one guy who commented on your picture has clearly no clue, stripped of its color - what a joke. Also, the missing-accessories-comment gives you an idea of what their expectations are, a proper DSLR with a bunch of flashes bounced off of every white surface around.

That said, I agree with the lack of background separation, also the sepia tone doesn't really work for me. Composition wise I like the first one as well (probably now that I read Yanidels comment.. ) but all in all they don't _really_ work for me, they're not bad, though, either.

Gruß, martin

 

[Rhoyle]

I actually like the sepia. The light seems a little on the bright side and the sepia softens it up a bit. I also really like the Klingon playing guitar and the guy with no face playing bass.

 

[Starburst]

Guys, thank you so much for your comments 🙂

I think you have to be proud of yourself: the live performance momentum is totally there!

Thanks a lot Arthur, transporting the mood and the atmosphere was exactly my main objective. I am very glad it worked.

- you have cut the singer feet. I'd either leave them in or frame just above the shoe.
- the shadow of the person next to the singer feet. It is just taking unneeded attention away from the scene.
I would also have liked the singer to look at you. Would have been awesome.

Now this is criticism I can do something with. The cut off feet was also one of the first things I noticed when I first looked at the picture. I still find composing with the Rangefinder quite difficult. I also agree with your comment about the singer not looking into the camera. Thanks yanidel!

Also, the missing-accessories-comment gives you an idea of what their expectations are, a proper DSLR with a bunch of flashes bounced off of every white surface around.

This is something I sometimes find really discouraging about big mainstream boards. I believe that as a good photographer it is vital to be able to handle the technical aspects of photography. I believe that knowing the aesthetical guidelines to a good composition is vital. And I also believe that a perfectly sharp picture with the main subject placed in the lower right third of the picture can sometimes be dull and boring, although the photographer did everything 'right'. I find it frustrating when people believe that only pictures that follow a certain formula is a good one.

That said, I agree with the lack of background separation,

I know what you mean and I thought about the background for a long time. Not that I could have done anything about it since the band was playing right in front of the van. The background is loud and distracting and yet I think I prefer it to a blurry background, it is part of the atmosphere. It is a picture where you sort of have to look for a while at all the little details and then assemble them to get the whole picture. I think a blurry background would have been a bit too sterile, the picture is supposed to be loud and distracting. Hope this doesn't sound too esoteric, it is only my personal taste anyway 😉

I actually like the sepia. The light seems a little on the bright side and the sepia softens it up a bit. I also really like the Klingon playing guitar and the guy with no face playing bass.

The sepia is actually a by-product of my workflow. I discovered that if I scan my b/w negatives in color, I get these sepia pictures. I liked it so now I always scan my negatives in color. But the question 'sepia or not' is of course a matter of personal taste.