Taken at the Boston Public Gardens after my photoshoot. The sun was coming in from behind him and even though the sheet music is quite white I really like how the shadow of his head makes the notes clearly visible.
Tough lighting from this angle. I think I would've done something to avoid having to deal with the bright white music page and the bright back of his scarf. Maybe shoot him from the front? His face is illuminated by the white paper, so that's a plus, and glasses are always an interesting element. I don't know what's behind him, but I'd hope it would be a better alternative than the people walking on the path in the background here.
It's Boston Public Gardens on a Saturday so people on the path are unavoidable especially when it's 60 degrees out. I appreciate your critique though and I have added 2 images from the other side...hope you like one of them as one shoes a bit more of his instrument.
treebeard wrote:
people on the path are unavoidable
You can't keep them from being on the path, but you can keep them and the path out of your frame, or at least not directly behind your subject (by shooting from in front of him), or minimize the distraction by limiting depth of field until they are defocused beyond recognition.
I have no idea if what's behind him would make a better background. The background you have chosen, though, competes with your subject for my attention.
Just to illustrate my point I found a similar image in which the photographer has no control over the activity on the sidewalk, but chose to frame the subject against a background that better isolates him in the composition.
