Music: Fiesta Noche de la Plaza

[jdepould]

D200, 70-300VR, 1/180s @ f/5.6, ISO160, 300mm
Click through for full size and EXIF

This was the culmination of our Jazz & World Music Festival for 2007, couldn't have asked for a better night, the event went from roughly 6-8pm, which made for great lighting, and the orientation of the stage was in a great spot. Mike (musician pictured) is one of my favorite sax players to photograph because he's always got some kind of expression when he's playing. I was sort of torn on how to white balance, the sun was pretty low on the horizon when I took this shot, and there are a lot of really warm tones, it isn't 100% textbook perfect white balancing, but I like the effect.

[Avv604]

The shot is great. There is emotion in the shot. The only thing I don't like is the background. The building is distracting. Sometimes there is nothing you can do but I would like to get the building out and have just a flat line.

It would be good to see the hands of the person. Get more of a feel, and "hear" the music more.
Very nice.

[jdepould]

Originally Posted by Avv604

The shot is great. There is emotion in the shot. The only thing I don't like is the background. The building is distracting. Sometimes there is nothing you can do but I would like to get the building out and have just a flat line.

It would be good to see the hands of the person. Get more of a feel, and "hear" the music more.
Very nice.

That's one of the difficult things about shooting music. Saxophone in particular because the hands extend down from the head, in some instances below the waist. It's difficult to get everything and still maintain the same feeling you get with the face, I have a tendency to choose one or the other. In the wider shots there isn't quite the same sense of being close to the musician.

I know what you mean about the background too, it was one of the limitations of the venue. I set for wide aperture and hoped for the best.

[clockdoc]

Nice shot! Good lighting and I think your white balance is OK here. Did you shoot any with a little more of his face showing in addition to this profile?

[jdepould]

This was the only other one I found, different angle, and the background is busier with the other musicians. I don't like it as much as the first.

[Avv604]

Originally Posted by jdepould

That's one of the difficult things about shooting music. Saxophone in particular because the hands extend down from the head, in some instances below the waist. It's difficult to get everything and still maintain the same feeling you get with the face, I have a tendency to choose one or the other. In the wider shots there isn't quite the same sense of being close to the musician.

I know what you mean about the background too, it was one of the limitations of the venue. I set for wide aperture and hoped for the best.

LOL.. you do what you can. That is all you can do. You might be able to stitch together a couple of shots to get his hands. clocdoc makes a good point. Having more of the face showing would be great.

Again, may not have been able to but perhaps next time.

[Avv604]

Originally Posted by jdepould

This was the only other one I found, different angle, and the background is busier with the other musicians. I don't like it as much as the first.

Big improvement! I like it better.
Now I see he is playing with a band. Good shot. Side of his face is blown out but still, very nice.

[jdepould]

Originally Posted by Avv604

LOL.. you do what you can. That is all you can do. You might be able to stitch together a couple of shots to get his hands. clocdoc makes a good point. Having more of the face showing would be great.

Again, may not have been able to but perhaps next time.

There's always a next time! Especially when you're a music major. I think there's something about the form and flowing lines that I love about the first one, the curve of the neck.

[clockdoc]

Yep, I agree that the full face shot is not better for a number of reasons. Thanks for going to the trouble of post it thought. Just something to keep in mind for next time. Way back when I was studying portraiture I recall the instructor making a point to demonstrate the difference between simply losing the far ear by turning the head. Try it some time and see the difference it makes just having the hint of the other ear in the shot.

[uvsub]

The profile shot would be great if the background wasn't so busy. Opening up the aperture might have blurred the distracting lamp etc. into oblivion. That lamp splitting the sax in half is a real killer.