Band Promotional Photo (C&C)

[littlesandra]

I did a shoot with a local St. John's band today, at Ship's End. It was -13 with wind chill so we were freezing, my SB's weren't co-operating and did I mention we were freezing.

This is a shoot I just edited for the band to approve, and there's something about it that's bugging me. I can't quite put my finger on it.

 

[Moe]

For me, it's a little busy composition-wise. I feel in order to have such a busy background, the background should be underexposed a stop or two, but you said your flashes weren't cooperating, so that may not have been possible. The background on the right side of the photo (the dock and boat) distracts my eye from the last guy on the right. There's just not enough separation for me, compared to the center and left people of the group.

There seems to be a lot of empty space in the sky. Perhaps if you darkened the sky to make it more dramatic it may add more to the photo.

Also, the way the band members are standing (at least some of them) is a little awkward to me. Just my 2 cents.

-13...brrr. Hats off to you for going out in that.

 

[littlesandra]

Thanks for the input!

They were a hard bunch to get to do anything, eventually they loosened up and we really got a few rad shots, they were opposed to being near each other. Sub-consciously I think, I tried to explain that there needs to be a feeling of unity in the band and the moment my camera was to my face, someone was 6 feet away from someone else.

Top left is bugging me, the bird. I might bring the back ground a little OOF. I wish I had more space to do a bit of a tighter crop, but my damn wide angle gave out last week.

 

[Leezon]

I think you have done a good job on the post processing and lighting, except for the slight fall off on the left hand side.

As others have said, I would just crop it just above their heads

 

[littlesandra]

I'm sorry but I can't crop above their heads, the point of the photo WAS to include the boats, they're 'At Ship's End'

 

[themedicine]

This might seem random but the band itself doesn't look all that sharp, maybe a bit out of focus or maybe they are too sharp...I dunno. There is something about the members though that look like the focus wasn't on them or the post processing has rendered them a little strange.
I like this idea but kind of think if you would have gotten closer, and done a horizontal shot, the band would appear larger in the frame and you would still have the ships in the harbor.
Cool shot either way!

 

[GeneralBenson]

Makes me think of the Sandlot for some reason. I would have liked to see all their heads in the water. The one with water behind them look considerably better than the ones that overlap boat outlines and docks. Also, the posing is just a little too random for my taste. I would have liked to see a slightly more uniform spacing with their bodies. DOF is also a bit wonky. Is this a composite?

 

[ghache]

i like it.

i would have tried a shot with the band members standing in different places. on different boats and one standing on the yellow side piece

 

[srinaldo86]

Here is a beginners attempt... also please mind the fact that I used paint to edit.. lol. The more i look at it I think the contrast change washed out their faces but it blends them better with the background.

 

[themedicine]

Sorry, now they look like they are very very cold. haha. like, literally and color tone wise.

good attempt though.

 

[littlesandra]

Sorry, now they look like they are very very cold. haha. like, literally and color tone wise.

good attempt though.

x2

 

[srinaldo86]

haha yeah i thought that too, but i kinda liked it. It fits the rest of the picture to me

How'd I do on getting rid of the bird and the thing on the top left?

 

[littlesandra]

I have re-edited the remove those two small blips, this was a quick edit I did just to test the waters!

 

[gsgary]

The position of the band does not work for me, it looks like you were taking a shot of the boats and a group of youths just walked into the frame
I would bring them closer to you but spread out more arranging them in triangles and then shoot from an elevated position (pair of step ladders) exposing for the sky and using fill flash
Some i did for a band (not my choice of location)
http://gsgary.smugmug.com/photos/547823194_QWmQ6-L.jpg
notice the triangles
http://gsgary.smugmug.com/photos/430391333_32JQ8-L.jpg

 

[littlesandra]

they are in triangles in the other photos, just not this one. thanks though. i will post more once the editing is done on them.