Concert Photos @ Moonshine Cafe - C&C Please!

[NateOntario]

These are some photos I took earlier tonight for a friend, she was performing at a local cafe / bar.

I'd really appreciate some harsh C&C.
Sorry for the dumb watermark.

I was shooting at 1.4 aperture, 1600 ISO, except for the motion blur photos.

Would it be worth it to run these through Noise Ninja? The noise doesn't even seem that bad.

Thanks.

1.

2.

3.

4.

 

[LaFoto]

Well, if these had been mine, I'd have tried to fight the noise with the help of NeatImage (which is what I still use all the time, and I am happy enough with it), though it isn't really THAT necessary.

I quite like the second. Focus looks good for the light situation you had to work with, and she has some nice catchlights in her eyes from the stage lighting.

As to the first: I'm just not sure your POV/angle at which you captured her, plus the tights she chose to wear, together favour her as much as she might have hoped... I find your POV a) quite understandable, since, as you get closer and closer to the stage, you'll capture her more and more from below, but b) also quite a bit unfortunate...

 

[NateOntario]

Well, if these had been mine, I'd have tried to fight the noise with the help of NeatImage (which is what I still use all the time, and I am happy enough with it), though it isn't really THAT necessary.

I quite like the second. Focus looks good for the light situation you had to work with, and she has some nice catchlights in her eyes from the stage lighting.

As to the first: I'm just not sure your POV/angle at which you captured her, plus the tights she chose to wear, together favour her as much as she might have hoped... I find your POV a) quite understandable, since, as you get closer and closer to the stage, you'll capture her more and more from below, but b) also quite a bit unfortunate...

Haha, perhaps a less...leggy crop on #1 might have been better.

Thanks for your input. The light situation was definitely not great.

What do you think of the motion trail photos?

 

[LaFoto]

They're a matter of taste, I should say. The odd one like this, and many others sharp and recognisable and it's OK. But if ALL were like this, I (and my old eyes... maybe they're the reason) would go crazy, I'm afraid .

 

[NateOntario]

Here's #1 with a tighter crop and reduced noise.
Any better?

 

[LaFoto]

To my mind, yes. It is better. Favouring her more. And the photo did not suffer too great a loss in sharpness through the noise reduction. Even this crop is still sharp enough (this size).

But I shouldn't be the only one to say anything about these... my opinion is just that: my opinion!

 

[Wyjid]

actually i prefer the uncropped one. it may not be a super flattering angle, but i find it WAY more interesting, i like the environment, and without the legs you lose a lot of the environment. i think it's a cool blend of motion and focus in the right places, and her motion certainly contrasts the sharper background a mic stand. she almost looks like she's floating there.