Mav's Victory Plaza Celebration

[PatrickONeill]

I went to the parade knowing that I'd have a crappy view of the parade, knowing that It'd be too hot and really f'ng crowded. I went anyways because I thought it would be a fun soaking up the pride and energy of a city celebrating the Mav's Championship.

I thought it would be fun to photograph the excitement.

This is only half of the images I took. I have a few rolls being sent out for processing as well.

images taken with a 20D and Tokina 28-70 ƒ2.6-2.8 AT-X PRO.
iso 400, and mostly at ƒ8

Top 3 images posted, but the whole (digital images) set is posted here.

C&C please.


Victory Plaza by lightcapturestudio, on Flickr


Victory Plaza by lightcapturestudio, on Flickr


Victory Plaza by lightcapturestudio, on Flickr

[auddii]

I like the picture of the kids waiting on the train tracks...

[tukaniray]

Craziness ... If I was in Dallas at this time, I would have also been there.

People getting pushed into the TRE is funny ... makes me think of overseas trains or watching the special on the trains of Japan.

Nice set of the people out there ... did you not get any of the Mavs parading themselves?

-Ray-

[PatrickONeill]

Originally Posted by tukaniray

Craziness ... If I was in Dallas at this time, I would have also been there.

People getting pushed into the TRE is funny ... makes me think of overseas trains or watching the special on the trains of Japan.

Nice set of the people out there ... did you not get any of the Mavs parading themselves?

-Ray-

I stepped off the TRE train just as they were arriving the AA center. I had my film camera on me at the time, and with only a 35mm lens, I knew that I wouldn't get anything decent of the parade. (I remember the Star's victory parade from '99 and the lack of a good pov for pictures). I was more interested in getting the crowd's excitement rather than the parade it self. (everyone will be photographing that anyways, so why try?)

and the gent in the stripped blue shirt was a plain-clothes officer, trying to keep people from being trampled and pushed under the train. mob mentality is scary, bring a bat

[sbfuller]

what do you feel makes those your best 3 pictures?

[PatrickONeill]

Picture #1 shows a lot of the crowd, their faces & character and establishes the environment pretty clearly. I'm drawn in by the gent with the sunglasses and the goatee. This is almost a good photograph, If I scooted over to the right by a pinch, I would of had the american flag in full view.

picture #2. I like the rushed composition and slightly off-kilter horizon, It kind of has the "shot from the hip" look--however; I don't like to shoot from the hip--so this was actually composed with the camera to my eye. It was a bit rushed as I composed it as quickly because of the fleeting nature of the poses. I'm really drawn into the moment of the two people sharing. the body language, the half gaze from the woman and the red umbrella adds a nice touch.

picture #3, I just like the classic sunglasses and the long-bard. a bit of a trope, but something I wouldn't expect seeing in Texas during a parade.

I would of picked more, but forum rules and limiting the number of images per critique. I tend to show my work in a series or sequence of images that give more context and narrative to the images rather than a single image.

[WarrenG]

Originally Posted by PatrickONeill

Picture #1 shows a lot of the crowd, their faces & character and establishes the environment pretty clearly. I'm drawn in by the gent with the sunglasses and the goatee. This is almost a good photograph, If I scooted over to the right by a pinch, I would of had the american flag in full view.

picture #2. I like the rushed composition and slightly off-kilter horizon, It kind of has the "shot from the hip" look--however; I don't like to shoot from the hip--so this was actually composed with the camera to my eye. It was a bit rushed as I composed it as quickly because of the fleeting nature of the poses. I'm really drawn into the moment of the two people sharing. the body language, the half gaze from the woman and the red umbrella adds a nice touch.

picture #3, I just like the classic sunglasses and the long-bard. a bit of a trope, but something I wouldn't expect seeing in Texas during a parade.

I would of picked more, but forum rules and limiting the number of images per critique. I tend to show my work in a series or sequence of images that give more context and narrative to the images rather than a single image.

Patrick,

I would have disagree with your analysis of the three images. I think they are great snapshots of the activities you encountered while being a part of the great celebration of the Mav's winning, but I feel they are not adequate to truly discuss as composed photographs, and that is by no means a put down, as the images are nice for what they are.

In photo #1, I do not see a lot of the crowd, and I find myself almost confused in orientation. There are heads where there should be legs, and legs where there should be heads, all of which are given no context in the photo. The hand and the womans hat in the foreground tend to jump out at me, and the lines formed by Victory Plaza lead me to an empty sky so I am left feeling rather unfulfilled.

In photo #2, you mention that you are drawn in, which is what I really wanted to be, however the centered composition just leads me straight to the girl. I feel as if I am looking at everyone's waist in thi image? I wish I could see the subject to camera left, but all I see is part of his body with the majority being cut off... so I cannot partake in the emotion of the moment, which leaves me feeling a bit like the girls bare waist is the intended emotion from the photo?

In photo #3, you mention that it is a bit of a trope? I do think this photo probably had the most potential of the 3, but it missed the mark (IMO) on the composition, as I really do not have a context of what he was doing at the moment and I cannot even tell it is a parade? All of this left me feeling unsure as to why it was a bit of a trope (or cliche) to you? In addition, I do find that the subject to camera right is somewhat of a distraction... I wish he were either in, or out of the image.

Like I mentioned at the beginning of the post... I think the images are nice as "snapshots from the day".

Thank you for taking the time to share them with us.

W

[PatrickONeill]

Warren,

Thanks for your brutally honest critique. Its been way too long for me.

it appears that I've gotten a bit sloppy, I guess its off to refine my eye a bit more.

[WarrenG]

Patrick,

My intent was not to pick the pictures apart (though it may seem that way). As I mentioned I think the pictures are great for what they are, and unless you were shooting them for a client, the only person who you need to please with them is yourself. If they are the images that make you happy than my opinion is irrelevant in the end. I only mentioned my observations because they were listed as a CC, which I tried to provide in an honest way.

Cheers,


W

[bryanlindsey]

+1 to Warren. Nicely put.

[PatrickONeill]

I hope you all don't mind me tossing up the film shots now? =)


R040_F41 by lightcapturestudio, on Flickr


R041_F04 by lightcapturestudio, on Flickr


R042_F22 by lightcapturestudio, on Flickr

Kodak Gold 200, @ E.I.100, M6, 35mm Summicron & "scanned" on a light table with my 20D & 50mm ƒ1.8 (w/ extension tubes).

much happier with my film results (amazing what a FOV change from 45mm to 35mm can do). The rest of the picks from the three rolls are here -> Flickr: Search lightcapturestudio's photostream