Fun with Brass

[brian1208]

I was invited to help out with a studio session this morning, shooting for my friend Lorna (she of the wacky costumes in the Band Shoot I shared some time ago).

She had assembled a collection of tatty old brass wind instruments an sound cones for two projects she is working on, one and Installation Art project on sound and shape and the other on hearing and hearing trumpets

I was only able to stay for part of what was going to be a session lasting several hours with some excellent set-ups to come which I unfortunately missed but I had some fun and got what I think are some not bad images (I hope she will like them )

Its amazing what a bit of lighting can do, the tatty old bits of brass junk actually look half decent in these shots.

You comments / thoughts welcomed

(all shot using the EM-1 + 12-40 f2.8, ISO 100 / 200, f5.6 - f8 with a low level Octabox as prime light and two snooted side light to give accent lighting on the instruments)

[brianvickers]

Re: Fun with Brass

I like these, the first and last are my favourites....I'd be tempted to lighten the background to take some of the shadow away in the first and second shot....but thats just me.....it doesn't spoil the image at all. Great colours and clarity and the instruments all look good to me. Hope you don't mind my comment as its not LFI but you did say comments welcome.

[banjukes]

Re: Fun with Brass

Hi Brian, I really like the second last shot. There's a real sense of fun about it. Great theme working with the instruments.

[Olybirder]

Re: Fun with Brass

I think these worked brilliantly Brian. A splendid series of fun shots. I like number five the best, where she is lying down framed by the instruments.

Ron

[brian1208]

Re: Fun with Brass

thanks Brian and no worries about your comments, that what I was hoping for

As to lightening the background I did wonder about that, these are "First Pass" processing so I have the option to go either way, darken the shadows further and make them a point of interest or lighten them out of existence

I will need to share them with Lorna to see what she is going to do with the images, some of these I shot in portrait mode then cropped for displaying here, so in the original there is plenty of space at the top for any copy she may want to put there

I can't wait to see what the other two got with the later set-ups, one we planned was to have all the instruments hanging in space against a black background with Lorna dancing through them.

Its a great shame I'm still fighting a nasty bug so had to quit before it got really interesting

[brian1208]

Re: Fun with Brass

Thanks Conor & Ron, Lorna is a real joy to work with and we had a fun time, which does show.

I must say I liked #5 too, a nice interplay of shapes and reflections

[Guest]

Re: Fun with Brass

Brian - I love the humour in this 'feel good' collection of pin sharp shots!

[Wee man]

Re: Fun with Brass

Great set like the mechanical hearing aid.

[Iansky]

Re: Fun with Brass

Lovely set Brian, I really like them all with No.1 & 5 being my favourites but all are a great capture that tell a story.

[StephenL]

Re: Fun with Brass

Looks a lot of fun. I like them all.

[Ulfric M Douglas]

Re: Fun with Brass

Definitely, loads of good stuff there.
I like Number3 the best : with just the one trumpet to her ear.
They are all pretty good though, and having read the description first I was pleasantly surprised

[brian1208]

Re: Fun with Brass

Thanks Ulfric, part of the interest and fun for me was that we were working to Lorna's brief as the client but she only set loose criteria so we could develop ideas and themes as we went along

#3 worked for me because of the pose, the position of her free hand and the intent look on her face. She is a professional entertainer (among other things) and it really shows when working with ther

[StephenL]

Re: Fun with Brass

Must confess to an initial slight disappointment as I didn’t see the second "s" ....

[brian1208]

Re: Fun with Brass

naughty boy Stephen!

[Zuiko]

Re: Fun with Brass

A refreshingly original and imaginative theme, wonderfully shot. It would be great if Lorna and the other togs let you post some of the pictures from the later sessions to complete the story.