Fiesta Colorado No. 2 Photo

Photographer’s Note

This is one of the Spanish-based Flamenco dance photos that I took for the Denver Folklorico and Flamenco dance group called Fiesta Colorado. I took over 2500 (total) photos in two consecutive nights for two different dance groups and I hope to get the editing completed next weekend. I have been slow at catching up with my critiques and I just wanted to let you know that I am still around. I will continue this Fiesta Colorado series for awhile and I will post a link for this outstanding group soon.

I set the iso at 1600 (I am not allowed to use fill-flash at performances...only the rank amateurs with their "point and shoots" get away with this...go figure) and I hand held the camera while bracing it over a railing. I just did some basic editing except for the dance floor. The local high school (West High School) actually has a very nice auditrorium but the dance floor was really beat up. I had to use a very soft brush at very low opacity to soften the scratches. I find Flamenco dance to be harder to photograph than all of the other types of dance genres put together. The lighting is usually bad, there is equipment scattered all over the place and the dancers aren't as sycronized as in many other types of dances because of the improvisational "freeform" nature of Flamenco. It has been years since I photographed a Flemenco concert where all of the visual elements just fell into place. This concert was a tough assignment.

Wandering_Dan, danasam, bakes888, fulvio52, feather, Photo65Net, Floydian, Dyerco, zmey, Didi, meltemi, AROBN54, plimrn, jwmunro, pboehringer, Hellas has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Wandering_Dan (3209) 2008-04-25 22:00

Hi, Stan -

Nice balance of elements here. I like the way the microphone stands suggest a horizontal line without forcing it and thus cutting up the picture. The dancer's position is also perfect; her arm line parallels the guitarist's face lines. I do wish you hadn't caught him with his mouth open, tough.

There's something about the color of the shoes that looks vaguely off; I'm not sure why. But that's a minor nit on a great pic! Exceptional light management, especially considering the restrictions you were under.

Best,
Dan

danasam (1057) 2008-04-26 0:07

Hi Stan,

Very original and great frozen moment at the right time and good note too. well done.

Sam.

bakes888 (18055) 2008-04-26 1:08

Hi Stan. Wonderful capture. A fast lens and steady hand obviously help with the dance photography. Well timed and composed. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

fulvio52 (8314) 2008-04-26 1:57

Good morning, Stannie.
I very much doubt anybody could come up with anything better than this, specially when considering the restrictions (no fill-flash), the conditions (handheld, high ISO), and the very nature of Flamenco dancing itself, which is basically all about improvisation.
There's perfect freeform simmetry in this picture, from the posture and positioning of guitarist and dancer, to the most elegant interplay among colors. It's like looking at one fluid motion!
This is as good as it gets. GREAT job!
Have a wonderful wekeend, and thanks for sharing.
See ya later,
Fulvio.

feather (49858) 2008-04-26 2:59

Despite all the difficulties you mention in your note you actually captured her looking right at you in a wonderful pose. The red elements in the scene command attention without taking over. I like how you have been able to freeze the motion on the folds of her dress and the tassles of her top. 2500! That's a lot of shots to get through! Good luck with the editing
Kath

Photo65Net (43084) 2008-04-26 3:33

Stan,
Again superb show picture !
The dancer attitude is perfect, and your colors and exposure are great here.
Nice job,
Regards,
JB.

Floydian (30970) 2008-04-26 4:08

Hi Stan,
Although the pose, the light and exposure are wonderful, i would like to see a more closer view, or at least a crop. I mean more focus on the woman and the guitar player without those microphones around, espcially that one on the right. But maybe i am asking to much, i know. Reading your note it expalines it's not that easy, i can understand your struggle here, but seeing the result from the new D300 i must admit it looks pretty good.
Have a nice weekend, Henk

Dyerco (8980) 2008-04-26 7:52

Hi Stan
WOW! Considering the limitations you had to shoot under this turned out really well. You caught her making eye contact with you (us) and drawing us into this sensual dance (at least those of us of the male persuasion). She stopped for a brief moment but the dress and tassles are in motion without being blurred. Great timing. I look forward to the link when you post it.
Phil

zmey (7242) 2008-04-26 8:07

hello stan

nicely balanced and very expressive. it seems she is posing right for you in this shot. i am amazed at the quality you could achieve without the fill flash in these conditions (remember my experiments with wrestling pics?). i know, henk here wants a closer view and crop of the dancer. i'm just not sure how well a closer crop would work in this case (neither compositionally nor quality wise given that iso was at 1600) and probably your zoom was stretched to its limit already.

warm regards and thanks for sharing, friend
kristaps

ps. if you want to photograph uncluttered flamenco performances, should come visit me. i have a friend who is a chief of local flamenco group. their stage performances usually are uncluttered ;)

Didi (35900) 2008-04-26 20:30

Hi stan
Very good spectacle picture; you should publish a book because you have an interesting style in this kind of subject.
Olé !
Cheers.

zeynepe (9342) 2008-04-27 0:38

Hi Stan,
Excellent image,you captured the right moment to shot.The position of the red spanish hand fan is fantastic!
Best regards,
Zeynep

meltemi (9746) 2008-04-27 4:12

Hello Stan,
a delicate post that catches the romance and thrill of these dancer' s performance. I love how your caught the expression of the dancer, the intense blue/red suite the subject very well and I like the framing and presentation. Powerful and innovative, very impressive.
All the best.
Stella

Tobias__Ortmann (2589) 2008-04-27 4:14

Ah new post and what for one great picture again I really like yor dancing series
very good colours nice sharpness and focus
Well done
Toba

gunbud (27729) 2008-04-27 20:43

Hi Stan,
Another vibrantly colored shot of the dramatic Flamenco dancer with her brilliant red fan standing out wonderfully against the dark background. You have caught her musical accompaniment in great expression concentration and joy. Lovely collection of the rich Spanish and Native American traditions of the southwest.
Regards, Tom

avene (10928) 2008-04-28 13:17

hi Stan,
will I surprise you if I'll say that I LOVE those red shoes and the red fan? :) something tells me the dancer in the photo likes them too, she seems to be turning this way and that to better show them :) seriously, those are great colour accents, and together with her expressive posture they add enormous amount of energy to the scene, I like it a lot. and considering the difficult circumstances (I agree with the paradox of life that you CAN fire a flash even if you're 100 feet away from what you want to photograph, provided you have a tiny "point and shoot"), this is an excellent dance photo, I'm sure the performers are very happy with it.

with best regards,
Kristine

p.s. I haven't actually thanked you for your opinion on Sigma 50-150 2.8 that encouraged me to buy that lense. it's great and fast as lightning!

plimrn (19592) 2008-04-28 14:21

Hi Stan,
The detail and color is stunning as always, but the thiung I find most impressive is the way you used those pesky microphones as a part of the compositional balance. Not an Easy trick!!

Sounds like you're up to you your eyeballs in work/play?, it is amazing that you have any TE time.
HLJ, Pat

Gerrit (35575) 2008-04-29 5:12

Hi Stan,
good timing and a fine capture of the expressions. Great colours.
Regards, Gerrit

baba_flies (7951) 2008-04-30 9:46

Hello Stan! I am still sitting on my office chair and I really badly wanted to go home to open your file but as it seems my boss keeps me for a "night shift" and the photo has to wait for another round. So it goes! I really enjoy your "dance classes" and it has again your hand writing and we know right away that this is a "Stan". I really like how the red sticks out of the black giving the essential color kick. I read your note and I actually thought it would be easier but I can follow what you mean, and it is probably much more demanding to let us actually feel Flamenco as the expression in the dancer's face is part of this form of dancing. You caught it ... I can hear the guitar! Barbara.

jwmunro (6567) 2008-05-01 12:45

Hello Stan -

Very nice even though the junk on the stage does not seem to interfere too much. I think what makes this composition though is the pose of the dancer - classic flamenco. Is there a red cast or is that a red spot on the guitar player? Well done.

Thank you for sharing

John

japiey (9471) 2008-05-07 4:09

Dear Stan,

It's the rhythm and colours that attract me here...
Well captured...
Lights are fascinating too.
All the best.

jp

pboehringer (770) 2008-05-08 20:50

Stan,
particularly I prefer the last of your posts of this series. I prefer the isolated dance in her full expression, but I have to admit that this one here also has a special attraction. Here it isn't all about the lady but the interaction of the musician, the one that gives the melody, rhythm and fills the air with atmosphere while the lady uses that to express this in the room with her body, legs, arms, facial expression ... and you got that all and even more! Very impressive work!
Peter

Hellas (5107) 2008-05-24 2:11

Hi Scobert, how are you?
I may understand that this concert was a tough assignment but you did a very good work! This is not a compliment believe me! The contrast between the red and black is terrific and the moment of capturing ideal, the dancer was looking straight at you!
Fine details and great handling of the light!
Have a nice weekend!
Athanasios.