a portrait with all I like : outstanding composition and a full story in her expression.
"Juste avant ...
Elle m'a emmené pour un voyage avec sa musique pour seul tapis volant. Le voyage m'a fait découvrir des émotions nouvelles, fortes et douces. A présent qu'elle sait que la dernière note est sous son doigt, elle guette ma chute, savourant son chef d'oeuvre"
what can be poorly translated in :
Just before
She took me in a musical journey with her music as only flying carpet. The journey let me discover new emotions, sweet and powerful. Now that she know that the last note is below her finger, she expect my fall, enjoying her masterpiece"
As I have said many times before, I ALWAYS enjoy reading your impressions very much. First...there is the challenge to try to read them in French (not MY first language...but I do try to read them). Second is the understanding of your words in English (my first language). Then...I read the French version again.
So...it is quite an experience, a challenge, and fun.
But the words and meaning are beautiful in either language. I truly thank you for taking the time to consider the images and then to write so beautifully what you "see and sense" in the image.
I will always enjoy those words along with the image.
This screams classy, and she appears as someone who would want you to pull up a chair next to her and just listen as she plays for the sheer joy of sharing music with another.
Minor (minor) nit: necklace.
Question: with window light and a reflector how on earth did you push the background so dark? Love how much she reaches out of the photo (contrast with her background)
Err... Daniel, Corvallis OR--soon to be PDX
Hi Daniel.
Welcome to the Impressionistic world.
I appreciate your comments above. Especially the feeling of "joy." I know just what you mean. I wish I could have listened to her play for hours. Her upcoming recital is on my calendar.
I hope you will take a look and participate in the upcoming Pianist Impressions threads. I have a few more that you might enjoy seeing and I know I would enjoy reading your impressions on them.
About the background. Mostly it is exposure. Many times I can get a background to go dark from carefully considering how the light is affecting a subject and from careful metering and selection of an appropriate shutter speed or aperture. This can be learned with practice and experiments. And that is situational too. But it can work for just about any subject. I often do this with my flower photographs.
In some other cases, it is a matter of using a flag (something that blocks light from a background surface), or the use of a deep space (a big room that is unlit behind the subject...and this is my favorite method) or sometimes the use of a simple black background (either fabric or paper or card). Those are commonly done in "studio" settings, but can also be done on location.
There are lots of ways during the initial exposure. Then...there is the careful use of "exposure" in the darkroom too. There it is a matter of considering how far I want to go with the B&W and how I filter the light and how I "place" the blacks. So, what might have appeared as dark gray to the camera, becomes dark black (or very dark gray) in the print. In addition, there can be selective "burning" or selective "addition" of darkness or shadow (how I think of it).
In addition...there is the matter of viewing on the web. Many of my images appear "darker" (in the background or dark/shadow tones) than they appear on a print. The reason is that the prints can show much more subtle tones of gray and there can be very beautiful subtleties in my finished B&W prints. Subtle tones that just won't show on the monitor over the internet. Really...I have some prints that BW afficianados find very "luscious" and "deep." Viewed over the web, those same prints may appear very dark in some areas as they apparently lack some "shadow detail" over the web...but it is there in the print.
Here's a tip: You might find it interesting to check out B&W "Piezography" by Jon Cone. He has a business focused on producing high-end digital BW prints and can sell you everything you need. I am not affiliated with that business at all, but I am an "early" Piezographer. And I have spent many hours in darkroom working on methods to get "deep rich blacks" and "many shades of gray" and "crisp white highlights" and such. Many hours...many prints. Many images, many methods. Many "hits" and sometimes "misses." So my eye looks for subtle tonal differences and the challenge then becomes "How do I get this into the print?" One great thing about the "digital darkroom revolution" has been the greater 'control' I have over the image. That did not exist when I was having to give up control to other professional printers and had to "take what I got" from 'their' ability to make a fine BW print. I now have control over that and it is very satisfying.
I wrote the following before reading the description of how the picture was taken:
I get the impression that the subject is a professional piano player, a concert pianist or teacher. Her garb appears to be semi-formal, but more important is the precise tilt of her back and head, which imply a certain trained strictness of form. Her expression is unmistakably one of pleasure in mastery, and I detect also that she may be satisfied or proud at the reaction of someone in the room (you?).
Her hand is exquisitely poised; if she is posed and not actually playing I think you did a wonderful job, as the attitude of the hand and fingers shows a relaxation of tension, as if her hand is leaving the keys. I feel that the position of her right ring finger is very important for this picture, as it makes the hand position less mechanical and more like she is caressing the keys.
mttran wrote:
"Impressionist", classic black on black. Love it
Hi Michael,
I am glad you like it. And..that you added your impression to the mix.
"Black on black" is something I always enjoy as a challenge (photographically) and enjoy the results too when the various tones of black and gray make a very subtle and deep image.
Keep your "Impressionist" beret on, another Pianist image will be posted soon.
jvarszegi wrote:
I wrote the following before reading the description of how the picture was taken:
I get the impression that the subject is a professional piano player, a concert pianist or teacher. Her garb appears to be semi-formal, but more important is the precise tilt of her back and head, which imply a certain trained strictness of form. Her expression is unmistakably one of pleasure in mastery, and I detect also that she may be satisfied or proud at the reaction of someone in the room (you?).
Her hand is exquisitely poised; if she is posed and not actually playing I think you did a wonderful job, as the attitude of the hand and fingers shows a relaxation of tension, as if her hand is leaving the keys. I feel that the position of her right ring finger is very important for this picture, as it makes the hand position less mechanical and more like she is caressing the keys.
Thanks for adding that very well written impression note. I really enjoyed reading it (a few times) as it gave me a chance to see the image through your various impressions.
I really like that you wrote: "Her expression is unmistakably one of pleasure in mastery."
That is something I sense/saw/felt too.
And that part of the "pride or satisfaction" of pleasing someone else in the room is right on the impression I felt too. Very perceptive of you.
I really enjoyed hearing her play for me...and I got the sense she got enjoyment from playing for herself...AND playing and pleasing an audience. I am glad that comes across in the image.
I do hope you will participate in future Impressions threads. You made a very good contribution to this one.
My impressions of the person in the photograph "Pianist #1":
1. Intelligent with a nice sense of humor.
2. Warm and fun.
3. Loyal.
4. Stable but fragile.
5. I think she leads a simple and pleasant life but has complex inner emotions about self, society, spirituality, etc.
6. I wish I had more friends like her.
I was affected by all 5 photographs posted in this "Impressions" series even though I made a conscious effort to mainly concentrate on the B&W "Pianist #1" image.
She looks French and reminds me of a wartime pianist in a French bar. She looks a bit bemused? Maybe this was one of your first shots of her before she got into the music somewhat
I don't agree with your mandate to read your comments before viewing. This is a picture, and it has to work as a picture if you sat atop a flagpole for 40 days in the snow to take it.
That said, the pix work fairly well, with number two being (to me) the weak sister because it makes her look like a cocktail pianist where you always get a friendly greeting because the playing is on auto pilot.
Calling the third pic Liszt 1 is odd to me because that's a concerto, yet she is alone--but that's neither here or there.
I'd also like to see more separation around the blouse.
As to the artists face, which is a major challenge here, you have done extremely well. The solutions are tactful and dignified, not silly. Five stars for that. I am reminded of Alfred Brendel, a wonderful pianist who is hard to shoot in a way that reflects the grace with which he plays.
