Trumpet Player-Live Concert

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-- Mark Meyer (mameyer@xsite.net), October 15, 1999

Answers

At first glance the image has some wonderful dynamics working for it,the lighting is interesting and player is isolated. However, upon closer inspection, the image seems to be set up. When I look at the trumpet on the players lips I do no see any pressure. Eyes are closed but not squeezed shut. Hands seem to be positioned rather than playing. Player does not seem to be relating to the instrument he is playing. Elements of emotion are present but are lacking in substance. Player seems to be floating out of some black inky space. Could be the representation on my screen.

-- jacque staskon (jacque@cybertrails.com), October 18, 1999.

Doing this sort of thing well is very hard, and I don't consider this a bad attempt. Yes, I feel you have missed the 'blow', it looks as if he is miming rather than playing. [I certainly believe he really is playing, 'cos many of my shots turn out like this.]

There is also a rather flat feeling, due to the lighting, and the fairly long lens.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), October 18, 1999.


I like the lighting on the horn. I like the "floating in the inky blackness". The exposure looks fine. But the first thing I thought as the image was loading was, "He's not playing!"
Studying it more, I think he is (I see some lower lip pressure, I see the finger on his left had compressed a little), but the first impression was one of an actor playing the part of a horn player.

-- John Thurston (John_Thurston@my-deja.com), October 20, 1999.

My first reaction to this is that he is doing what all good improvisational musicians do...listening. During my college jazz saxaphone days I tried to be a good improvisationalist, but didn't have it. But I did notice that the good players listen to the rhythm section and play something spontaneous that coordinates with the things they hear. This picture looks genuine to me and gives me the chills I feel when listening to good jazz music.

-- Tom Smart (tsmart@rconnect.com), November 02, 1999.

Pressure on the lips or not, it looks to me like he's playing.

I would have liked his eyes opened a bit (but not fully). The flatness from the tele didn't bother me until I thought about it. The bulbous- ness of the horn could have been used better with a shorter lens. But I'm picking at nits.

Nice shot.

-- Adam Squier (adam.squier@caere.com), November 05, 1999.



Nope, he isn't playing. In fact he isn't even a horn player. You can't play the horn with a mustache - the air leaks out

-- steve vancosin (Steve1chsn@aol.com), November 09, 1999.

I find it humorous how everyone thinks they know whether he is playing or not but yet no one has yet established that they play any type of brass instrument. I have been playing trumpet for 9 years and I would have to say that he very well could be playing. Steve, just give up on the mustache thing, my private instructor is the lead player in the Louisville Orchestra and he has a mustache. Try and tell him that you can't play brass with one. Without getting into the entire physics of trumpet playing, you should not see a whole lot of pressure if the player is using his air correctly. Therefore you would not see a lot of tension in the face or hands. The pinky finger on the right hand should not be pushing onto the ring because this would do more harm than good for the player. True, many jazz musicians learned to play with their own style and they are not "wrong" but this man appears to be playing in the correct style that has been most widely agreed upon by brass players. Sorry to be so long winded.

-- Greg Leppert (goonie777@yahoo.com), December 17, 1999.

Lordy, lordy, Greg, you said it. I don't care if all of the above posters are trumpet players, they're just mediocre ones if they are. Ever hear how many guitar players it takes to change a light bulb? Oh, it just takes one to change it, and a hundred others to stand around and say they can do it better.

Very fluent musicians make it look effortless, hence your statement about him using his air right. His hands are very relaxed and he's holding his instrument the way an experienced musician would hold it, not an actor. Now I'm not saying he IS experienced, but he's just not tense. You don't have to be tense to play fantastically. However, I guess jumping around on stage with your face wrinkled like you're having a coronary may sell more tickets and get the girls screaming.

I really like the focal length. It adds to the ghostly-ness. No one part of the face, horn or hands steal attention from another. This is perfect. I'm sure there are plenty of close-in perspective shots of horn players to go around. I want a print for myself provided there are no defects present that I can't see on my monitor.

-- Kent Berry (kent69@texas.net), February 15, 2000.


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