The Rock Concert

This is one of several 'catches of the day' today -- posted

under 'street' rather than 'concert' because it is not meant to be

a 'concert photo' per se. This photo was taken at ISO 3200 on a D2Xs

and desaturated; using a very low shutter speed, considering the

background action; please consider that under normal 'film'

conditions this capture was generally not something that could be

obtained at all. Your ratings and critiques are invited and most

welcome. If you rate harshly or very critically, please submit a

helpful and constructive comment; please share your superior

photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks!

Enjoy! John

There seems to be allot of contrast in this picture between the stern and tired looking guard and the free wheeling subject in the background. I'm not sure what country this is, or why this picture could not have been taken in normal circumstances in this day and age. In any case, the subject in the foreground is a little bit out of focus which some how takes away from a very powerful message. I think and this is just my opinion, that if you had cropped at the guards shoulders even the neck line and cropped a little more of the top, this picture would really be saying something !

This was taken in the middle of the night in open air with a little concert lighting, but not much more at an absurdly high ISO, and with a V.R (vibration reduction) lens, but there still is a little motion/cameraman blur.

 

To have dropped it as you suggest would ordinarily have been a good suggestion, but with the blur already present and not fixable by sharpening, the only chance is to show the photo full frame, which is an entirely different photo than the one you're suggesting, and one I considered.

 

I have this in color, and I may post the color photo here or somewhere else, as it shows a little better/the contrast of the officer's blue uniform stands out and the concert lighting stands out pretty well/this is one case where desaturation may not have paid off so well.

 

In any case, I'm probably going to move this from its present folder to another, lesser, folder, in view of its defects.

 

I happen to like the 'story' -- which you also have commented on, and that's why I posted it.

 

Imagine, that this concert singer did this only once -- the jump from the back of the stage to the front past while I had the officer framed.

 

Regrettably, it's still impossible to take clear, sharp photos without a tripod in the middle of the night, despite V.R. lenses and high ISO on the camera's sensor.

 

Maybe soon, however, and then I'll have the cropping choice you suggest.

 

By the way, the guard was just bored, even if to you he looks 'stern' or 'harsh'. He's young and as a young militiaman, he drew concert duty, standing around the stage, probably paid horrible wages, and not able to collect any 'tribute' as militiamen are reputed to collect in other aspects of their jobs, or so the locals tell me (I have no experience).

 

Thanks for your comment; it was well based.

 

John (Crosley)

I don't think there is a problem shooting several pictures of the same guy. :)

This photo is 'muddy' from afterdark shooting and high ISO, and it needs Photoshop work to rescue it more than I could do.

 

I needed to work on the contrast more and do some selective sharpening, I think, and I may still do that, as I am not satisfied with it.

 

And, I am not entirely sure it's the same guy as the one I posted earlier today (it's still 9/11 where I write from).

 

Shortly after your bedtime tomorrow, I go to the airport and back to my Ukraine home(s) where I get such captures. Things are not so controlled there about photographers, as intellectual rights to, say, a concert performance, are practically nil as opposed to the US where they're marketed to death.

 

I don't go to US rock concerts (or any concerts, generally) but as a photographer I probably should as there are large number of people who attend and surely some great captures.

 

I just wander around, and even was unaware of this concert until I walked from my flat and could hear the music in the distance -- five very long (NYC Style) blocks downhill -- from this city's downtown area.

 

I'm sort of like Forrest Gump. I just wander through life and terribly interesting things happen to me, or I come across the most amazing things, and my job is to record them.

 

Doppleganger, or not, I don't really know. (they all look alike to me, but yuo have great powers of observation and this guy was part of the same group, no matter what.

 

;~)

 

John (Crosley)

I think this guy is third down the line from the guy featured in the other photo.

 

Take a look and see if you agree.

 

The camera/photo placement confirms it for me; something you could not know. All these militia were young (and callow).

 

I enjoy these exchanges because you're the most acute viewer/critic on Photo.net.

 

John (Crosley)