I've seen the light... an upright life!

[wulf]

Camera: Nikon D40
Exposure: 1.6s
Aperture: f/11
Focal Length: 50mm (Nikon E Series 50mm f/1.8)
ISO Speed: 400

I have recently acquired an electric upright bass. Since that is a big thing for my music, I wanted to feature the instrument in the latest addition to my fiftytwo project (about two months left to go).

With limited lighting tools and limited time I couldn't capture a sharper result but I liked the dynamism of this perspective and the strong colours. Do you think it captures the idea of stepping into an exciting new project, not quite focused but exciting... or does the blurriness make you dismiss it?

Wulf

ps. click the image to see larger sizes on Flickr and explore the other three shots I saved from the same session.

pps. the image is slightly processed although most of the change from the colours in the other shots is because the sun came out, changing the light in the room.

[Saralonde]

I can't say the blurriness helps me dismiss it, but I think I would prefer a little more sharpness on the bass. The color and position of the bass make you aware it is the main subject. I do like how the blurriness makes it dissolve into nothingness at the top, so I wouldn't want it to be ultra-sharp.
I have a tendency to get to focused on sharpness (not necessarily a good thing), so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
Congrats on the new bass, BTW!

[corry]

i agree with Sara......i like the composition and angle but the color red and it not being in focus made me have to read your description twice to realize what your subject was..... enjoy that bass sound.....it really adds something to a musical group.

[DanaLane]

I love the concept. I think the DOF is perfect, but I have to agree on the sharpness. Something should be sharp. The only other thing I'd do is move your head so its not partially obscured by your hand. Either fully obscured, or fully visible, in my opinion, would work better! Self portraits are hard!

[RussHeath]

Congrats on the new bass! I really like the shot and think that the narrow DOF works very well. It gives me a sensation exactly as you describe, with the added feeling that the whole shot is vibrating just a little from the music. It's a nice fit.

Given the placement of your hand, that seems a logical choice as the one "sharp" element. However, that wouldn't make sense from a musical perspective. Perhaps if the bridge were a little lower in the shot on a ROT line and just a touch sharper it would serve that purpose.

[wulf]

Thanks for the comments. If I retry it sometime, I will have to try fixing the bass in place (plenty of scope for hidden supports), setting up the camera to frame it better and then moving into place. I will also have to think about improved lighting - the blur comes from the fact that it is hard to stand completely still for over a second especially when trying to balance an instrument and palm the remote control!

Like most self-portraits, it would be easier if there were two of me - one to pose and one to do the camera work

Wulf

[Saralonde]

Originally Posted by wulf

Like most self-portraits, it would be easier if there were two of me - one to pose and one to do the camera work

Wulf

I wholeheartedly agree with that!

[darrell]

Awesome... how does it sound? Does it sound like an upright? I have an old upright that had a cracked top. I took parts off of it and would like to build a body for it and make it into an EUB.

[wulf]

It sounds fairly, er, uprighty!

I think that, certainly for the sound of an amplified double bass with a live band, it does the job very well. It doesn't have all the nuances that a much better acoustic instrument would have but there is a long way for my hands to go before they could make the most of significantly more expensive equipment anyway.

Got to go and practise more!

Wulf