The Bambi Killers

This was a live performance, this shot was not with flash and light

was not great. While I like the pose and composition, makes me think

of an early 80's MTV style album cover. I was disappointed that there

was motion blur with the singer's fast movement. She could work the

camera, so many great poses. I took many shots with flash, but not

this pose. I also like the natural light. This was not a paying gig

for me, just the 40D and this with the Tokina 11-16mm and I caught

them by chance so this was really just fun. If I had used the 580 EX

II with curtain flash, possibly could have gotten this very crisp and

kept a lot of that natural color. A large number of people were in the

room, multiple remote flash was not happening here. Still with all the

faults, I like this shot a lot.

Comments welcome.

Hi, Mark,

I do not usually critique this photo cathegory but I did it today. You are asking for an open critique and I am your first volunteer, Thanks God, at least I took one !!

I could agree with some of your comments, the pose of the singer is OK, may be the pose of the guitar is OK and the background girl at the battery seems like a Budda statue, too static. There could be some elements or individuals that could be the main subject or "leit motiv" of the photo - for me it is important or basic to find the  main starring person or object in an image - but, on the other hand, there are too many objects that are disturbing the photo itself: the tv on the left, the bag on at center, the coloured carpet-floor, the ceiling light and its return flash from the background wall, and so many other multiple objects at floor in the distance. For next image I would suggest you to concentrate in selected elements or person and shoot: the singer, the guitarist hands, the drum player, or the face of one of them, but everything at the same time, in this case, it is giving a negative impact of disturbing. Ikusi arte - see you in basque language. Josemi Gondra.

Joseme, thanks for dropping by and commenting. While I had no control over the elements in this photo this captured the room and the live event. As for the drummer, I would rub her belly for good luck. :) The TV, carpet, space helmet, all capture elements of the early 80's MTV era, even the carpet smacks of Retro. Had this band been around in 1982, this shot and a semi good video would have gotten them played on MTV, but there is vast room for improvement had I had creative carte blanche. I agree  the Black TV Dinner bag could have been placed better but that is where they dropped it playing before the crowd. The TV made it to the end of this set and was smashed by the baseball bat. A true Bambi Killer fan would have recognized all these elements in the story of there live show.

Still your comment inspires me to think what I would change if I were creating this in a studio, carpet would be replaced with a black and white checker board tile floor. Door, gone. Ceiling gone, blood blanket, gone, instead of a few arms and legs on the floor, bodies of the men they just killed in a dark red pool of blood. Much better lighting. With luck they will hire me to recreate this shot for the inside album cover.

Thanks so much for the constructive critique. I will be sure to crop some.

Regards - Mark