Feedback and Suggestions Request

[ridetwistyroads]

I currently have an A80. Nice little camera for it's intended purpose, but a D70's on my horizons in the near future. Anyhoo, a friend of mine's band played a few nights ago, and to aid with future albums/website I offered to take some pictures. The camera is by no means an ideal one - I realize there's plenty of hi-iso noise and some soft focus due to longish shutters. My idea here is how far can PS take them?

Here's what I have so far - all feedback, ideas, suggestions, and comments welcomed!

Before
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816669-M.jpg

After
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816667-M.jpg
Took some liberty with colors, figure it can't hurt as it's far from ideal anyways! :D Some USM and despeckle, levels, and spotty use of blur tools (among other things). But not in that order.


Before;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816670-M.jpg

After;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816671-M.jpg
A bit less dramtic evolution. Any cropping ideas? That marshall stack to his right is distracting me a bit. :scratch


Before;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816674-M.jpg

After;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816673-M.jpg
Same story, levels, despeckle (for iso noise) and usm.


Before;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816676-M.jpg

After;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816678-M.jpg
Less level hooligans, softened up alot of the backround details, such as drum hardware and music stand. Rest the same....usm, despeckle......


So, give me some opinions! :ear

Thanks,
Chris

[cletus]

Before
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816669-S.jpg

After
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816667-S.jpg I'm not sure about this one. It feels like the singer should be the main focal point, but he's out of focus compared to the bass player. :dunno


Before;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816670-S.jpg

After;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816671-M.jpg
A bit less dramtic evolution. Any cropping ideas? That marshall stack to his right is distracting me a bit. :scratch
This is probalby my favorite image of the bunch :thumb

I'd say play around with the crop, or maybe try cloning out some of the distracting elements. Just play around and see what you like.


Before;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816674-S.jpg

After;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816673-S.jpg I think this one has potential, but you need to try and do something with that awful green cast on the walls :eek1 The guitarist's shirt looks nice and white, so the walls are either a horrible color or they were bathed in some really nasty light. Either way, the greenish walls give the whole image a "fluorescent light" look.


Before;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816676-S.jpg

After;
http://ridetwistyroads.smugmug.com/photos/15816678-S.jpg
Same comments as the first image.

Overall, I'd say you've got a couple good images, maybe with a little clean up of some of the background elements and a little playing around with the color you can make them even better.

[ridetwistyroads]

Mucho agreed with the first and last pictures, the bass player is distracting. I unfortunatly was fairly limited to me shooting positions, as I needed a tripod and it was a tight room. I don't even know how, but I missed the green tint on the third! Whoops! Shouldn't be to hard to fix.... I do like your ideas of cloning out that can and a few other distracting details of the second picture.

I'm used to shooting nature, so composition with people is taking me alot of getting used to! Thanks for the advice, Cletus!