Bar series

lizzard_nyc

First time trying to shoot in a very dark envioronment.

1.



2.



3.

black mamba

Hey Liz,

I think a picture can be considered successful if it elicits an emotional response from the viewer. Shots #1 and #3 cause me to feel a foreboding sense of sadness. I'm not sure why....other than I've never been much on being a bar patron and I generally look on bars as being home to lost souls, at least in the context as you've shown here. I give these shots a big thumbs-up.

Tom

Patti

#3 holds the emotion for me Liz. The composition and conversion communicate isolation to me.

Brewster

Liz
Wow, you nailed it on #3. I can see loneliness, and smell the cigarette smoke and stale beer.
Excellent work.

Jack'll do

I agree with the others on #3. Definitely a sad soul. I would have liked to see the crop not so close to his face but that bright spot peeking out from the top left corner may have given you little choice here. #2 is interesting. These two patrons obviously didn't come in together. One watching TV (maybe a ball game, and the other reading a book. Though I don't frequent bars, if my wife is away on business, I sometimes go for dinner and just feel more comfortable eating alone at the bar than at a table. Anyway I don't think I've ever seen anyone reading a book sitting at the bar. #1 would be great if not for the motion blur in the foreground. Long exposure, arm in motion as she goes to take a sip?

lizzard_nyc

black mamba wrote: »

Hey Liz,

I think a picture can be considered successful if it elicits an emotional response from the viewer. Shots #1 and #3 cause me to feel a foreboding sense of sadness. I'm not sure why....other than I've never been much on being a bar patron and I generally look on bars as being home to lost souls, at least in the context as you've shown here. I give these shots a big thumbs-up.

Tom

Hi Tom,
Glad it got that kind of response from you. It's the same feeling I had while taking the shots.
I know in #1 she is a frequent, almost daily, customer, so it seems kind of sad, but it's her home away from home.

I used to bartend, so I remember that "family" feeling with some of my regulars. Sometimes it did strike me as a little sad though.

lizzard_nyc

Patti wrote: »

#3 holds the emotion for me Liz. The composition and conversion communicate isolation to me.

Hi Patti,
It was pretty dark in that bar, but occasionally the kitchen door would open and there was also the disco lights (bad lighting)--that's where #3 comes in. The door was open so I wanted to take the shot--I had to put my camera on the bar, frame it, and hit the shutter with a 2 second timer and pray she didn't move (if I tried to hold my camera and shoot, they were too blurry).

I know I chopped off a bit of the front, but I'm glad it's still a strong image.
I think it's her eyes-the blank stare, that makes the image, for me anyway.

lizzard_nyc

Brewster wrote: »

Liz
Wow, you nailed it on #3. I can see loneliness, and smell the cigarette smoke and stale beer.
Excellent work.

Thank you Brewster.
It's a seedy little bar, but has a loyal clientele and a sweet bartender. I think they all feel at home there--he played Frank Sinatra music and made snack baskets for his clients. It was just such an odd combination.

lizzard_nyc

Jack'll do wrote: »

I agree with the others on #3. Definitely a sad soul. I would have liked to see the crop not so close to his face but that bright spot peeking out from the top left corner may have given you little choice here. #2 is interesting. These two patrons obviously didn't come in together. One watching TV (maybe a ball game, and the other reading a book. Though I don't frequent bars, if my wife is away on business, I sometimes go for dinner and just feel more comfortable eating alone at the bar than at a table. Anyway I don't think I've ever seen anyone reading a book sitting at the bar. #1 would be great if not for the motion blur in the foreground. Long exposure, arm in motion as she goes to take a sip?

Hello Jack,
I got the feeling there were many lost souls there. They were all in their own worlds-watching tv, reading etc. just like you said. It's a gay bar, and I'm not sure what I expected when going there for the first time, but was surprised by the "lonely" vibe.

ElectricDreams

Really good stuff. All of them are well composed but again, #1 and #3 definitely hit the mark on to what you were trying to convey. I also think B&W was the way to go, i think it adds to the lonely and sad tones in the picture. Keep up the good work.

bfjr

Nice Series, does remind why I'm glad I never got into "Drinkin" :slosh

Flowerman

Liz: They are all great - definetly tell a different story for each. I for one would like to see the color shots - they may be very grainy and give more mood to each situation.
No matter what , you certainly nailed it - each shot stands on its own, another great point.
ED

www.photoman74.smugmug.com

lizzard_nyc

ElectricDreams wrote: »

Really good stuff. All of them are well composed but again, #1 and #3 definitely hit the mark on to what you were trying to convey. I also think B&W was the way to go, i think it adds to the lonely and sad tones in the picture. Keep up the good work.

Thanks ElectricDreams--and welcome to the forum .

lizzard_nyc

bfjr wrote: »

Nice Series, does remind why I'm glad I never got into "Drinkin" :slosh

Well there are happy moments at bars--I just seem to have captured the not so happy ones.

Glad you like it Ben.

lizzard_nyc

Flowerman wrote: »

Liz: They are all great - definetly tell a different story for each. I for one would like to see the color shots - they may be very grainy and give more mood to each situation.
No matter what , you certainly nailed it - each shot stands on its own, another great point.
ED

www.photoman74.smugmug.com

Color! bite your tongue! lol.

When I get home I will upload a color version--so you can compare. I wasn't crazy about it--but that's not to say it won't appeal to others.

Thanks for the comment Ed.

bendruckerphoto

Always keep in mind that the eye is attracted to the brightest part of the image. When that's not your subject, the viewer will be distracted from what you're trying to show them.

rainbow

Looks like you nailed the exposure and your processing works really well. I am not thrilled by the framing as all have the people facing the close edge of the frame (obviously, especially #3).

For your consideration:
#1: cropping the left 1/4, maybe turning it into a portrait orientation.
#2: crop either the left or the right person out using a square crop.
#3: square crop, losing the right side