Muldovan Violinist

Maybe no "concentration" but definitely confidence. She look like she's about to start...and she knows what she is doing.

 

Very nice,

 

Kevin

She is not performing; she is posing. She is playing some notes (with the bow, but without moving fingers) while she is posing. She is concentrating on . . . . the photographer.

Carl, in a quarter of a second one is not necessarily going to change the position of the fingers just because the bow has moved, in the same way that one may play a number of notes in sequence on a piano on the same chord. Besides, how long are the notes held? One cannot know, and therefore one cannot make the inference that she is posing with any kind of certainty.

 

On the other hand, given the other posted posed shot with the violinist in the water, I would not be at all surprised if you are right that this is a posed shot.

 

I still think that it succeeds as a photo.

 

--Lannie

Lannie, this shot is "an image I saw in my head. I wanted to do this one (w/bow in motion) . . . . Yes it's a hot light + 3 strobes."

 

It's meant to be a simulation of a performance.

You are both right. Yes, that's what it is meant to be, Carl. But what Lannie

wrote is still technically perfectly correct: "Carl, in a quarter of a second one is

not necessarily going to change the position of the fingers just because the

bow has moved, in the same way that one may play a number of notes in

sequence on a piano on the same chord. Besides, how long are the notes

held? One cannot know, and therefore one cannot make the inference that

she is posing with any kind of certainty."

 

Nobody can deduct from the finger position that this is a posed shot, that was

his point, I think; and a perfectly valid one.

I have the same impression of many comments here - Very nice portrait technically speaking BUT there is no indication that she's a violinist. What I mean is, with many others, her expression is totally disconnected as a musician. Also, wind blowing from one side for a musical environment and the "violinist" seems unrelated. Looks more like a "fashion model" type of photo. Sorry.

Since I'm a professional violinist myself I have to admidt that something bugs me here. Simply this: if she's playing the violin so damn fast (Looks like the bow is on the last page of Ravel's Tzigane) then why is she looking into the camera? Seems to me that if she were really concentrated on the music she would be 'lost' in it rather than being so smartly focused, smiling so alluringly at the lens. On the other hand, as a photo itself this is a definite cut above the rest, as I have seen so many awful promo shots for musicians that make it into Musical America.

 

I just would like to see her really playing the violin with all her soul. Can you have her do that for you in front of your camera? I think the result would definitely be worth it!

She's not looking into the camera!

 

Someone posted a request for help a while back. He had original photos of Jascha Heifetz and he did not know what to do with them! I said keep them. Anyhow, I think there are people who can appear very cool whilst passionately involved. I always wondered what Fritz Kreisler looked like when actually playing. So many of those old photos were posed. Tertis with his wooden rocket launcher, Sammons with his Dracuala hair cut, there were some characters about. I think Perlman comes off well in a photo. The first time I saw Heifetz on video.... the guy was a total genius.

 

Cheers.

A pretty face, nice eyes. But this shot feels contrived - expertly contrived to be sure. Fiddling in the wind looks like a commercial, not an artistic exploration.

"Why it did not catch any movement in the hair is not clear" - Lannie

 

Explanation is fairly standard for this sort of things: the hair is lit by flash light

mostly, whereas the playing hand is lit only with a countinuous light source.

Thanks, Marc. I have noticed something like that phenomenon before but never understood what was happening.

 

I once saw a soft treatment of a cat, for example, which fuzzed out most details but left the whiskers very crisp. I wondered how that could be. Now I understand a bit better. Thank you.

 

--Lannie

I can't be sure of anything without seeing the cat shot, but based on your last

post, I suspect the explanation might be very different. For the whiskers to be

crisp whilst all else (including the face) would be blurry, if you were to achieve

this with flash and continuous light, you'd need a flash that would ONLY light

the whiskers - without lighting the face... That's not likely to be the case,

unless you are using fiber optics, because the spread of studio flashes can't

be controled with such a precision.

 

Based on what you said about the cat photo, could it simply be a shallow DOF

effect...? Otherwise, I have no idea... Any chance to see this cat shot...?

Cheers.

A very good image illustrating father-daughter love ... irrealistic on the violin demonstration ... but who cares?!

Mike,

 

There are some hard to please critics here as ever. Yet, every constructive suggestion is useful to receive.

 

For me, the portrait works well in both capturing the eye of the viewer and then keeping their attention entertained.

 

The most redeeming feature of the image, is the clarity and detail of the main subject, combined and contrasted with the suggestion of rapid motion in the foreground. The smooth transition between these two fields of view has been very well implemented.

 

Peter

Marc, here is the cat shot, made by Tess (a.k.a. "Maxx Giles"):

 

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3457442

 

I'm not sure what filters were used here.

 

Again, the issue is why the hairs of the violinist are in focus in a fairly long exposure, whereas here the issue is why the whiskers are in focus in spite of the various filters that were used.

 

--Lannie

Powerful and inspiring. Great job Mike

It is probably that you play the violin that effects how you portraited her. We can do best things we love. Your love to violin is in that picture! That is what I see. I love your honesty and passion.

WOW!

 

I saw the thumbnail and I couldn't help clicking on it!

 

I imagine the music itself moving the violinist's hair

Very beautiful, joyful, life feeling and excellent composition..! Well done.

 

Ricardo

it's a stunning portrait. wonderful.

Great photo. It would be interesting to see it with more shadow on her right side. The wind and the hair transmit me freedom and purity, she looks very relaxed.

Just cruising through PN using the random image generator and I stumbled upon this gem...what a beautiful B&W portrait...so much character...amazing tones/textures, eye contact, motion...very nicely composed...this has it all.  I was also impressed with your overall collection...though I wonder if you are still posting on PN.

Eve, I like the expression, detail, and action in this image. It is tack sharp, while the bowing of the violin and shows clear motion. The combination of still with action really clinches this image for me. Excellent, and the B&W conversion is quite good. Larry

Excellent image of serenity and elegance. Her eyes and facial expression is captivating amidst her hair being blown.