Giving photojournalism style a try (okay so it's just my kid's school concert)

[SusanH1970]

Joey's 6th grade concert was last night, and once again I volunteered to be the "official" photographer for it. Just forwarded these to the music teacher to have her send them on to the local paper.

Wish that guy's big ole' bald head wasn't there, LOL Joey is in the top right corner.



Xylophones! The woman on the right is the music teacher, and she is phenomenal. Her joy of teaching certainly shows and the kids all adore her, Joey included! We are so fortunate to have an excellent music program in our schools!



Recorders....wish I could have gotten a better shot of the stage with the kids in the orchestra, but the good ole' fire marshall wouldn't permit me to wander around much, so I was pretty limited as to where I could shoot from.



This young lady was unbelievable - she played a song on piano that she'd composed, and the rest of the class accompanied her on recorders. It was hauntingly beautiful and if you heard it, you'd never guess it was a bunch of eleven and twelve year olds. I had tears in my eyes! They recorded the performance and are putting it on CD's to send in care packages to soldiers serving overseas.



I am so proud of Joey and his classmates - they were wonderful! We are so blessed that our kids have this opportunity.

As always, thanks for looking!

[Hayward Taylor]

Hi Susan - hey - easy on the "big bald head" remarks ... cute photos

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by Hayward Taylor

Hi Susan - hey - easy on the "big bald head" remarks ... cute photos

LOL Hayward, my bad! Thanks! :-)

[picnik]

Nice job Susan.. these are great.
I really like the recorder shot... wonderful focus
Thanks for sharing

[autofocus]

love the third one Susan...but somehow, I think you already know that

Vinnie

[leonaashlee]

That is awesome Susan and you did well with these. I love the story at the end.

[fstopMike]

Nice story Susan and excellent pictures. Dang fire marshall! Did he think you were going to be in the way if a fire alarm went off? I don't get it! I like the recroder shot. Everybody is looking intently in one direction, while the girl in the center seems just a little bit distracted!

[Jim Bryant]

Nice job..........covering the event. Thinking as a photojournalist you should move around your subjects, not just taking pictures from left hand side, but moving to the right and then getting a few from the front. Next time think details instead of overalls. Get a few vert shots of just two of the players as well to tell a story. Newspaper editors like to see a variety of horz and vert pixs. This method of offering both formats keeps your pictures from being turned into squares (just to fit the space). Nevertheless, you did a fine job in covering the event. Just be a little bit more daring to move from one location to another. If the rest of the parents think you are getting in the way....screw them, you're there to tell a story

[SusanH1970]

Originally Posted by picnik

Nice job Susan.. these are great.
I really like the recorder shot... wonderful focus
Thanks for sharing

Thanks, Nikki! I didn't think I did too badly with my 300mm handheld at 1/60th, LOL!

Originally Posted by auto-focus

love the third one Susan...but somehow, I think you already know that

Vinnie

Thank you, Vin! Hmmmmm.....wonder how I knew that? :-)
Looking forward to our PPD (Photographer Play Date) on Saturday! You crazy bastard....

Originally Posted by leonaashlee

That is awesome Susan and you did well with these. I love the story at the end.

Thanks so much, Leona! Glad you liked the story....I did too. I still get chills thinking about that melody, I'm hoping I can get my hands on a copy of that CD.

Originally Posted by fstopMike

Nice story Susan and excellent pictures. Dang fire marshall! Did he think you were going to be in the way if a fire alarm went off? I don't get it! I like the recroder shot. Everybody is looking intently in one direction, while the girl in the center seems just a little bit distracted!

LOL Mike! I tell ya, I was peeved. Every time I tried to move around to get a different perspective, a Power That Be gently reminded me I needed to take my seat. I SO wanted to get different views. The few that I got I had to sneak behind a huge brick column where the "authorities" didn't see me, LOL! Thanks, my friend, glad you liked them. By the way, the little girl in the center is my husband's boss' daughter, I was purposely focusing on her for the shot and was glad she stood out to you!

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

Nice job..........covering the event. Thinking as a photojournalist you should move around your subjects, not just taking pictures from left hand side, but moving to the right and then getting a few from the front. Next time think details instead of overalls. Get a few vert shots of just two of the players as well to tell a story. Newspaper editors like to see a variety of horz and vert pixs. This method of offering both formats keeps your pictures from being turned into squares (just to fit the space). Nevertheless, you did a fine job in covering the event. Just be a little bit more daring to move from one location to another. If the rest of the parents think you are getting in the way....screw them, you're there to tell a story

Jim, thank you SO much for this advice....if it weren't for the fire marshall and his groupies, I'd have had full access to move around and get better angles. I did get a few closeups of a few of the kids (vert as well as horiz), but didn't post them here or on Flickr.

When the next concert comes up in early June, I'm going to ask the principal in advance if I can be granted full access to cover the concert from any angle without getting flak from the Powers That Be, LOL! And, I'll be studying up on getting better angles. Funny thing is, as I was shooting this as limited as I could, I was thinking, "WWJBD?"





FYI: "WWJBD" = What Would Jim Bryant Do

[Mad Ged]

Great series of pics & interesting story. I also liked the one of the recorders with the girl being the odd one out.

Cheers,