Upright Bassman

Comments and critique welcomed, suggestions cheerfully explored.

Attachment 92887

I don't think I could have resisted cropping this to an 8x10 starting just below the top of the curtains.

It is exposed nicely and he has great light on his face.

I don't do a lot of black and white, but I do like this photo. I would have liked to see this more up close as well. Maybe like from an angle looking up at him almost as if you were sitting or laying on the floor.

Agree with lava on crop the lighted area at the top pulls your eyes away from the bass player. Initially I though it was a bit soft but I think that may be an issue caused by sizing for web and the shown image has become a bit pixelated. A nice moment in time though Cindy.

Thanks for the feedback everyone!
Yes, I knew a crop would be suggested here. Personally, I like the window as I think it gives the shot a sense of place and scale. This was made in an upstairs banquet room in an old warehouse building in Asheville. I made a tighter framed second shot to focus on my handsome young musician, (who's smiling more now that I've had a minute to get closer and tease him a bit), and I kept the color.

Here's my second shot and the original with the crop suggestion.

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Attachment 92899

I like the second shot and the crop better. My suggestion on the composition is that it often works better if there is a person in the photo to have them face into the photo frame instead of out. Facing out creates tension, so if that is what you are after then it works but in this shot I think having the guy more to the left, on a 1/3 of the frame or so would be a more pleasing composition.
I might have tried to move to the right a bit to avoid that break in the curtains in the background too.

Thanks for the suggestions Matt, those are all valid compositional points.

When I am covering events I work more like a photojournalist that as a portraitist so I never direct subjects. Tension is what we have here as I try to show a bit of his story; he is preparing for a night's work, tuning his instrument, waiting for the rest of the band to arrive, being contemplative, nice kid but a little remote, like a bass player should be. I was initially attracted to his posture as much as his instrument.

Funny you suggested I move to eliminate the split in the curtains. I moved intentionally into that spot to frame and backlight the neck of the bass as I didn't want it to get lost in the background. It's also what's making such nice glowy light on his his hair. Too many years as a concert photographer I guess, I have no fear about bright light in the background as long as the subject is exposed properly.

I totally understand as I do some photojournalism work as well. What I was suggesting was that you move, not the sunbect. But the effect would be "moving the subject" in the frame, and avoiding the curtain split being in the frame.
I do appreciate backlight but it's more the big bright rectangle that draws my eye to it and away from the presumed subject, the player is what bothers me.

I don't mean to sound too critical either. I don't think it's a bad shot, I just can't help but think of what could have made it better.

Its interesting that his tattoo's, heavy boots, and a belt knife seem at odds with my idea of a classical musician . This adds a level of intrigue to the composition.

I have to say that I find the original shot the best. It tells a better story. As you stated, its not a portraiture. The subject is interesting, but so is the locale and time of day. The empty lone chair adds a lot to the composition. I think the window needs to stay.

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Originally Posted by mattb

What I was suggesting was that you move, not the sunbect. But the effect would be "moving the subject" in the frame, and avoiding the curtain split being in the frame.

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Thanks for being specific Matt, but I understood you perfectly the first time,which is why I explained my decision to center the bass in the back lit area. The effect had more impact, I feel, and worked better compositionally when the photo is left full frame and un-cropped. I have no problem with exploring suggestions, which is why I tactfully tried to agree to disagree with you.

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Funny you suggested I move to eliminate the split in the curtains. I moved intentionally into that spot to frame and backlight the neck of the bass as I didn't want it to get lost in the background. It's also what's making such nice glowy light on his his hair. Too many years as a concert photographer I guess, I have no fear about bright light in the background as long as the subject is exposed properly.

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I don't see the back-lighting on the bass as distracting but respectfully thank you for trying to educate me otherwise.

If I had changed the angle of view as you suggested I would have missed this very attractive man's erect form. I realize you probably do not view him this way, but I did. I appreciate the tattoos, his handsome posture in those skinny jeans with the R. McDonald's size boots, the knife on his belt. Everything about him says yummy, 20 something, Asheville hipster. They're everywhere here and I watch them almost for sport. In short, he's a hottie and I wanted to appreciate the whole form. Sorry I need to be so blunt, but he's not lounging, half naked on the side of a pool, so I drew you a map.

Thanks Pete, the tattoos and belt knife were definitely part of the attraction for me with this guy. And thanks for seeing it my way Arne!

Ok, Im new to the forum and new to the photography world, but I'll try to contribute. First when I saw I felt a lack of motion. Music is love and this guy looks like a statue. No emotion came from his face. But then I read the comments and about photojournalism. If you want love in the scene focus on him, if you wanna tell a story or represent something bigger, I'd choose the first shot, no cuts. I liked the first photo you posted, since closer looks into him show me no emotion.

I'd suggest tho that he could be a little bit more to the left in the first shot, that way I could see better where hes looking. I know that you was looking for the windows and got her centralized. But the window here is competing with the musician. I look to him because looks like hes the center of attention, but the light in the window drag my eyes too. I'd like to see this same photo but a little less centralized, like the chair in the middle, the guy and the window more to the left, that way my eyes can follow a more nature flow in the picture. I'll see the guy, loot to him, see that he's seeing to the right, go to that direction, try to see what hes seeing. After that explore more the composition to figure it out whos him!

Just to chime in late that I really like the black and white and the way the fellow's looking at the camera. The color image lacks that element, and I think the B&W is therefore 5x stronger. Regarding crop, it's hard to make suggestions on this one ... perhaps cropping and eliminating that right side chair, but don't crop so close to his head like the color one: that amt looks too plain and claustrophobic. Try leaving a little space on the left and keeping some of the top and bottom area to show the stage and the height of the room. Nice creation.

G