'Free Dancers'

[mikemorrellNL]

OK I'm going to go for a 'critique' again. At a local social center, I took (by invitation) some photo's of an activity called 'Free dancing'. In other words, anything - in terms of movement - goes.  This activity is open to young and old and also to users of walking frames, wheelchairs and mobility scooters. My original (digital) photos were in color. But I likea few B/W versions that showt  'the form' without the color differences. I haven't spent much time on the B/W conversion. Just picked a 'look' I liked in Silver Efex Pro. Any comments/suggestions much appreciated!

 

 

 

[dcstep]

I think that the first image reflects the title much better than the second. In the second, the very attractive lady with a big smile makes it seem like the whole scene is more organized and it's somehow about her. Her big smile and attractive body just pulls too much attention. In the first, the lady closest to the camera is contorted and here face is not so clear, so she doesn't become the focal point, other than she's contorted, as are most of the other.

[Edwin Barkdoll]

I agree with @dcstep. The first image is more evocative of "free dancing." I particularly like the multiple arms that seem to grow from the distorted woman in front.

My quickie interpretation includes vignetting at the edges and highlighting the foreground figure with multiple arms.

[samstevens]

The element I really like in the second photo is the artwork and crafts on the wall in the background. Adds a lot of texture. Since I'm not too concerned with the title but more with what each photo conveys visually, and I see them as documentary shots, they each have something to offer. I think they'd add nicely to a series about the social center. I do like the first photo for its interesting gestures and sense of spontaneity. It's a little more abstract. The central figure of the woman in the second photo doesn't bother me (again, without concern for the title). As a matter of fact, she provides a nice hook and her smile is warm and inviting. There seems to be a nice connection between her and the man opposite her, which is sweet. The two photos pair nicely because they convey different nuances of the same event. I'd like to see them in color. As I'm imagining them, I don't expect they will have benefitted by the loss of color and suspect they might have lost some potential without it. It seems like it may have been literally and figuratively a colorful moment.

[mikemorrellNL]

For @samstevens (and others), these are the color versions.  Interested too to hear what you think the B/W versions have lost and gained compared to the color versions. BTW. the color versions look way much 'redder' on PN than on my Laptop screen (Lightroom)! Although I did correct the color balance in Lightroom.

The 'Free Dance' session was followed by a well-moderated 1-hour evaluation and discussion session.  A quick individual (card-written) evaluation of what participants felt 'Free Dancing' meant most to them. Followed by a rotating series of 1-1  'speed dating'  discussions between individual particpants based on a set of questions. The last 'event'  of the morning was to enjoy a tasty home-made lunch together 🙂. TBH I love being involved in (voluntarily) photgraphing this kind of local event! Including 'burst shorts' (dance) and a few photos of the evaluatiion session, I took almost 350 'shots' from which I delivered my 23 'best' photos. Different photos from different perspectives and with different focal lengths (from close-ups to wide-angle). TBH, my ISO (and shutter speed) were lower than they should have been. Still, my 'client' was delighted 🙂. So these are just 2 of the 23 that I think best expres the idea of 'Free Dancing'.

OT: My (volunteer) colleague wrote up an article of the morning in which she included some quotes from participants during the 'speed-dating'. Perhaps unsuprisingly, they expressed benefits with a much wider scope than movement/dance. They extedended into their better sense of 'self' and a greater sense of confidence and freedom in their everyday lives. For largely 60-plussers, I find this remarkable!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 13 by mikemorrellNL

[samstevens]

Yes, for some reason the color versions are coming through with an over saturated look. Nevertheless, I think the color versions (less saturated) potentially have a more naturalistic feel. To some extent, whether I’d use color or black and white would depend on the context and whether these were part of a bigger series. In general, I’d say the conversion to black and white reads as an imposition and, while such impositions can affect emotional responses and be expressive maneuvers, they can also draw more attention to the medium itself than might be desired in certain documentary work (if you’re thinking of this as documentary work). 

On 4/12/2024 at 4:43 AM, mikemorrellNL said:

But I like a few B/W versions that show 'the form' without the color differences.

I understand this, but my response would be to ask why one would want to isolate form in a case such as this. I see these photos as a situation where natural color adds a sense of life and energy and, perhaps most importantly, realism. There are certainly times when a reduction to or emphasis on form would be appropriate. But here, I’m feeling more in tune with, and the purpose of the photos seems more aligned with, narrative and situation than with form. 

[mikemorrellNL]

On 4/13/2024 at 6:24 PM, samstevens said:

Yes, for some reason the color versions are coming through with an over saturated look. Nevertheless, I think the color versions (less saturated) potentially have a more naturalistic feel. To some extent, whether I’d use color or black and white would depend on the context and whether these were part of a bigger series. In general, I’d say the conversion to black and white reads as an imposition and, while such impositions can affect emotional responses and be expressive maneuvers, they can also draw more attention to the medium itself than might be desired in certain documentary work (if you’re thinking of this as documentary work). 

I understand this, but my response would be to ask why one would want to isolate form in a case such as this. I see these photos as a situation where natural color adds a sense of life and energy and, perhaps most importantly, realism. There are certainly times when a reduction to or emphasis on form would be appropriate. But here, I’m feeling more in tune with, and the purpose of the photos seems more aligned with, narrative and situation than with form. 

TBH, these photo's look a whole lot more saturated than I viewed on my my Laptop (with Lightroom) and on the online Album which I also viewed on my Laptop. I take all my photos in RAW and adjust these (generally sparingly: 10-15%) in Lightroom - and occasionally in Photoshop (sharpening filter). The first thing I do - after cropping - is to correct the 'white balance'. So I'm quite shocked at how over-saturated these color photos look here. I will look into this!

 

But I do take your main points that 'the conversion to black and white reads as an imposition' and  tha'natural color adds a sense of life and energy and, perhaps most importantly, realism.' Valuable feedback, Sam! Many thanks for this!

[mikemorrellNL]

Once again, I've learned a great deal from fellow members who have been kind enough to contribute to the 'Critique Forum'. My thanks go to everyone who provided me with (always constructive) feedack.

[hjoseph7]

Good timing, focus and composititon. Overall, both pictures evoke emotions and a feeling of being there. Good job !

[Wayne Melia]

I like 2nd bw best. In the 1st, the white door (or whatever) is too dominant. T increased local contrast gives humanity to the people; which is appealing to me, but reduces the abstractness, which may be contrary to someone else's desire to attain an emphasis on shapes.

I agree that the color versions are bad in comparison.

[dcstep]

I think that the color versions have a white balance issue. In RAW conversion, try putting the white-balance dropper on the shadow part of the white background to see if that doesn't make it more natural.  Save as sRGB for internet.

[mikemorrellNL]

On 4/23/2024 at 6:11 PM, dcstep said:

I think that the color versions have a white balance issue. In RAW conversion, try putting the white-balance dropper on the shadow part of the white background to see if that doesn't make it more natural.  Save as sRGB for internet.

Hi @dcstep, yes I totally agree! And a great tip about the shadows, thanks! For all the photos I deliver (or publish), I do a (RAW) white balance correction in Lightroom. My only 'enhancements' in Lightroom in terms of 'clarity' and 'vibrance' (as opposed to contrast and saturation) are limited to 10%-15%. These color photos looked fine on my Laptop (Lightroom) and also on  the website to which I'd uploaded them (viewed with Chrome on my Laptop). 

I was therefore quite shocked by the garish (reddish) colors published here!  It's obviously that I want to look into (Laptop, color settings, etc,).

FWIW, this is the link to the photos that I uploaded. I don't know why, but they they look (on my Laptop with Chrome) a lot less saturarted than than the identical ones that I'd posted on PN.

https://myalbum.com/album/FQs59RyGfkuMnQ/

 

Edited April 25 by mikemorrellNL

[dcstep]

On 4/25/2024 at 9:37 AM, mikemorrellNL said:

Hi @dcstep, yes I totally agree! And a great tip about the shadows, thanks! For all the photos I deliver (or publish), I do a (RAW) white balance correction in Lightroom. My only 'enhancements' in Lightroom in terms of 'clarity' and 'vibrance' (as opposed to contrast and saturation) are limited to 10%-15%. These color photos looked fine on my Laptop (Lightroom) and also on  the website to which I'd uploaded them (viewed with Chrome on my Laptop). 

I was therefore quite shocked by the garish (reddish) colors published here!  It's obviously that I want to look into (Laptop, color settings, etc,).

FWIW, this is the link to the photos that I uploaded. I don't know why, but they they look (on my Laptop with Chrome) a lot less saturarted than than the identical ones that I'd posted on PN.

https://myalbum.com/album/FQs59RyGfkuMnQ/

 

Hmm, I use DxO instead of LR, but I'm surprised that the dropper would get you so far off. I do notice very occasionally that the dropper gives me way too much adjustment. I just see that by my eye. For instance, it'll give me like 7000 kelvin.  Anyway, even though it works most of the time, I trust my eye over the dropper.

I love my Asus ProArt StudioBook with 16" OLED screen. It comes calibrated and stood up to testing with my calibration tool.

[jc1305us]

The B&W are much more interesting IMO. I may have gotten a movement shot, showing the dancing myself, but still, interesting photos.