Magic musical hands
Magic musical hands
Magic musical hands
Read less
Read less
Apr, 2016Views
228
Likes
Awards
People's Choice in Black and white musician Photo Challenge
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Peer Award
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 30 rank week 2Top 20 rank week 1
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 3
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was taken in the laboratory of this great musician, Bram, in Breda, The Netherlands. This was one-of-a-kind photography project. Bram is one of the most amazing person I have ever met. His passion is contagious, his skills and knowledge about music is outstanding. Bram truly lives and feels every single note filled with 30+ years’ experience on his shoulders. I remember how overwhelmed I was when I entered Bram’s lab. There were music instruments and parts, machinery and tools all over. On the table, hanging on the windows, on the floor. Although at first they looked quite randomly placed, after all there was an order and found the logic in what was before me. I could touch and feel the 30+ years of experienced and passion for music around me.Time
We started around 10 am. It did not take long for the ambience to sparkle with joy and have Bram getting comfortable in front of the camera. We went on for two wonderful hours, filled with stories, music and a joyful ambience while showcasing all sort flutes, trumpets and saxophones. We got along so well that we ended up having dinner at a great Italian restaurant nearby.Lighting
As Bram started to play one instrument after the other, I got fascinated by the care and love of his hands when on the instrument keys. I started to take a series of photos while playing focusing on his hands. I wanted to give authenticity to this shot leading me to convert it to black and white with some extra contrast. On purpose, I added more light in the center of frame to have his hand standing out. I used only the available light in the laboratory combined with natural light coming out of window close by.Equipment
I shot this photo with my former camera NIKON D3100 equipped with the NIKKOR 50 mm f/1.8. No other equipment was used.Inspiration
How did I meet Bram? This is a unique story on its own. I was at work taking a short coffee break during which I was looking back at a recent photo shooting on my webpage. While one of my photos was on full screen, a colleague passed by when his attention quickly went to my PC screen. He asked “what a great photo, who shot that?” I replied: “well I did it; it is part of a photo shooting I completed a couple of days ago”. He was stunned because he did not know about my passion for photography. This was the trigger to start talking about what I do, what type of subjects I like and various photography techniques I use. As we speak, he said, “I work together with a great musician who actually has repaired music instruments for decades. What about giving him a photo session?” I was thrilled by the idea of taking some photos to what it felt it was a music guru in action. About a week passed by when finally the shooting date was set. On the day of our appointment, I packed my camera with my two lenses and drove together with my wife to Bram’s house. We did not know what to expect because we never met Bram and his wife Tanja before nor we had any knowledge on the working area such as light conditions, size, etc. The unknown made this photo session even more exciting.Editing
I did but I kept the post-processing to the minimum necessary. First I corrected the white balance and changed the mood of the photos by adding for instance some contrast, vignetting, a bit of saturation of the color image. Then I converted it to black and white, added a bit of more light in the center of the frame and finally fine-tuned the contrast and shadows till the desired level. I used only Adobe Lightroom to post-process this image.In my camera bag
Today I own a NIKON D7200 and never leave home without my NIKKOR 50 mm f/1.8 and the 24-70 mm f/2.8. Although it is a standard kit lens, I often carry with my 18-105 mm f/3.5: it is light and fun to work. Although, it is a relatively cheap and standard lens if properly used it is able to produce good quality shoots. When it comes to take landscape or cityscape photos, I usually travel with the TOKINA 11-16 mm f/2.8 for DX. A great versatile and razor sharp lens even in low light conditions such as for nightscapes.Feedback
At my very start with photography, I was obsessed with saving up to buy the best camera or the best lenses. Sure, a good gear will make your life easier but in the end owing the best equipment is not the key to great shoots. I often dreamed and wished I could find the best-looking model or travel to the best location for my shoots. But in the end, as I grow and mature as photographer, I found out that the answer is not in the location or the lens or the camera. The answer is in us and the way we look at things. Often the best scene, the best model and the most amazing shot is just standing before us. We just need to learn how to see it. Maybe it is in our garden, round the corner or in the nearby park. What I have learn over the last two years is that there is a great photo everywhere because in the end we do not simply take a photo, we actually make it. Enjoy photography and challenge yourself to finally see the unseen around you.
