I think I am making progress in shooting in clubs. Getting more relaxed and hunting for the shot more. Here are a few with some slightly more than basic PP done. That is the new thing on my lessons plate. Going through the collection to pull out the best and working them over.

CS4 is in my future. These are all done within LightRoom. No presets used. Doing the same here as I am doing to increase my camera handling skills: Going manual and RTFM! Will be making up my own and adapting presents. I do go through them and note the settings change to accelerate my leaning.

Thanks to all for the encouragement and advice! C&C please.











And the street people are getting to accept me some. Here is an on the street portrait:

Definitely a progression. First and last portraits raw, brutal, and perfect, but I love your more impressionistic work as in No.4 best. Keep going. I love seeing what you are up to.

[mel]

I bought CS4 Design premium suite within a week of it's release. There's a pretty steep learning curve if you've never used the full photoshop but I'm loving every minute of the climb.

Nice work. I love the first one. So much passion.

[metroeloise]

Definitely a progression. First and last portraits raw, brutal, and perfect, but I love your more impressionistic work as in No.4 best. Keep going. I love seeing what you are up to.

Thank you. I will be working more with the impression-expressionistic as my PP skill mature...

I bought CS4 Design premium suite within a week of it's release. There's a pretty steep learning curve if you've never used the full photoshop but I'm loving every minute of the climb.

Nice work. I love the first one. So much passion.

Thanks! CS4, first just photoshop extended, (My "Real" passion is architecture), It won't load up until my video card is replaced. (new one borked! ) SO I read the manuals, tutorials, seek out flickr groups to absorb as much as I can. I have a slow broadband connection at work so will be setting up some youtube materials to watch as I can... then climb the curve!

Any Suggestions...Welcomed.

Another?

[mel]

Thank you. I will be working more with the impression-expressionistic as my PP skill mature...



Thanks! CS4, first just photoshop extended, (My "Real" passion is architecture), It won't load up until my video card is replaced. (new one borked! ) SO I read the manuals, tutorials, seek out flickr groups to absorb as much as I can. I have a slow broadband connection at work so will be setting up some youtube materials to watch as I can... then climb the curve!

Any Suggestions...Welcomed.

I have a background and my second degree is in Commercial Art/Graphic Design so the design suite with InDesign was a need. Lol. I haven't upgraded my software in EIGHT years so it's nice to finally have some power under my fingers again. The best way to learn? Play play play.

[Warped]

Great shots.

After an attempt at event/club photography a month or so ago and really struggling, I have a new found appreciation when seeing pics like this.

Curious to know lens and rough setting for these and what the lighting was like in the club.

[metroeloise]

I have a background and my second degree is in Commercial Art/Graphic Design so the design suite with InDesign was a need. Lol. I haven't upgraded my software in EIGHT years so it's nice to finally have some power under my fingers again. The best way to learn? Play play play.

Well Mel: I have to share with you that I have quoted you over a dozen times... "Best way to learn? Play play play!" Sage!

Great shots.

After an attempt at event/club photography a month or so ago and really struggling, I have a new found appreciation when seeing pics like this.

Curious to know lens and rough setting for these and what the lighting was like in the club.

And Warped: Most of the time I am at ISO 1600. Have the dynamic range option on (haven't been systematic about checking how well this functions... Yet) I most recently have been concentrating on using the Tammy 28-75mm f/2.8. I also use the 50mm f/1.4 and my very first lens, Siggy 17-35mm f/2.8-4.5.

I range along the front of the stage. Mostly I have been placing myself in the same few spots show after show. Helps in figuring thing out. The composition gets tired but the roaming will come along in time. First thing is to internalize the lighting environment.

I have been staying on manual exposure and manual focus. The first because that make me take notice; the second because that makes me take notice. Well that and my particular body is having hard time with AF. As for speeds... Take notice. I use spot metering. That forces me to be selective. I scan around the frame for the shot, work out the variation in metering and make a choice. Green button myself (Program Line is set to aperture priority) back to that basic exposure choosing what I figure will be about in the mid light range.

When Shooting onto the stage, I sometime flick on AF to be able to shot holding the camera up high. When shooting into the crowd I often slip mode onto bu and close down the lens a bit... This depends more on the show since some bands bring extra lighting with them and then the range I can work with this is greater. When the Strobe goes off I also switch to bulb and close down the lens. Then I guide the movement. Smoothness makes it work. Can be radical movement but smooth.

I have tried a few multi exposures also but haven't gotten any really fun results that I couldn't get with the bu method while the house strobe is going.

I rarely us a flash. I made a diffuser for the onboard, and have a 360 and a promaster pre digital that has pttl and multiflash mode. Getting the digital version soon. Tonight while at work.

I also have a silk tripod which is compact and is helpful. Sometimes I set it up and meter for ambient, set for interval shooting and let it go. or even use my remote (the remote underwhelms in performance, range isn't much and it is too-too persnickety about aim.)

Then there is PP. And here is where the pieces will shine or not. I am only getting my white belt in PP kungfu. But ... Noise reduction, use of layers to isolate and enhance, and being adaptable to the image in terms of treatment are all key.

Oh yeah, shutter speed: When shooting onto the stage it is often that you can get faster than 90. 125, 250. When that happens I play with both the aperture, closing it down some to get more sharpness and greater contrasts-saturation, dof, and lowering the ISO to get less noise. NR is on. I dance hard; really hard, with camera in hand or on the stage, reach, lift and stop, breathe, snap and get on the groove again.

Now people have been seeing me do this and seeing the flickr site or myspace and pose out for me or open up a pathway for me to shift around. Mostly they are very accommodating.

Gosh, that was longer than I though....

Hope it is helpful.... Please do share what you learn too. I'll add exif info to my post. Noticed that it is stripped out of my pictures. How do you get lightroom to leave it in?