OM-4T, Zuiko 100mm F2 @f2.6 for 1/60, Tiffen multi-coated 55mm Sky, Kodak Tri-X Pan, motor drive.
This image was made Saturday evening 15 March 2003 at a John Stewart concert at Casa de Flores in San Carlos, California. I had intended to submit this picture for the Weekly Challenge #53 but unfortunately the negatives did not make it back into my hands until earlier this afternoon (Tuesday, 18 March) and so I missed the competition's deadline. I thought I'd share it here now with the rest of you.
The woman in lower left frame is the wife of Mike Delott, the concert promoter and is seated on stage watching the performance just to her right. On the wall to the right of the frame is cast the shadow of Stewart playing his guitar on stage in front of the mike and its stand (this past week's theme).
This is my first work with the new Tri-X emulsion. Based on this one roll, I like what I see.
Tris
Edited by Tristanjohn on Mar 25, 2003 at 02:59 PM GMT
I think your shot doesn't have a main subject. I stayed several time looking at it and can't conclude what the main subject. There isn't somenthing that guide my eyes to. I think more contrast would improve a little the scene. My 2 cents.
Actually, this image has all the contrast it'll take--I've another with less after the shadows are brought up some and in a way I lean toward that. Add more to this version and resolution/detail goes south in a rush. There's a lot more to good photography (especially B&W work) than gobs of contrast.
Re subject:
The picture has two (three, depending) subjects.
1. Of primary interest to me being the shadows cast on the wall from the stage with re to Weekly Assignment #53.
2. The woman (who plays off that, or vice versa).
3. We are at last left with the option to view this image as an organic whole. It seems to work that way, too.
All in all I'm pleased with it. In fact it was just a grab shot as my attention was focused on John Stewart up on stage.
In this example I've opened the shadows up a mite, then introduced tint to the image. It remains essentially the same picture, yet notice how the dynamics change to something more alive--not necessarily better, just is a suggestion of more movement within the frame.
I think I kind of agree re the presentation in a series, and I might just do this as soon as get my new site set up. Good idea!
Re balance and scale: for me this image has good balance, while the woman's scale is about what it ought to be, for that matter what a viewer might expect in this kind of setting (she's smaller than those shadows cast on wall the wall behind her, which in turn appear no more heroic in size than they would anywhere else).
If you meant that the lady is seated in the foreground looking left off the frame, then I also disagree. This formula, which seems to shatter a photographic rule of thumb, often works well and I feel this is one of those cases. (Remember, the lady is seated on stage watching a performance just to her right; the shadows on the wall behind her are part and parcel of this now-understood-to-be symbiotic scene; how else could you capture it?)
Then examine the way the lady is more or less placed on one of the "thirds" points. Given that the shadow cluster lies in diametric opposition in upper right-hand corner of the frame on the point there, then I say these elements are not only complimentary but affect natural balance. The picture is then "rounded out" by the relative inactive dynamics of the upper left- and lower right-hand corners of the frame.
It may or may not be a "good" picture; it certainly has excellent balance.
