Ok, you guys are finally talking about something close to home. Here's my 2 cents worth. From a local blues singer.
All were shot on the same night. 
http://www.maryshaverband.com

 

   

   

-- rob dalrymple (robd13@erols.com), November 09, 2000

Answers

I like the two on the left better than the two on the right. The upper right one is well executed but has a typical and less original feel and it lacks the human emotion factor. I like the color combination and composition, though. The upper left one has more of the emotion factor, represented by the feel of her facial expression. The bottom right one is quite interesting, but it's slightly over the edge for me. The motion blur is kind of cool. I know he's concentrating and probably sounding really good at the moment the photograph was taken, but that's all. The bottom left one, for me, is excellent. I get much more from her in this photograph than the others. Her expression and body posture really "sing" to me. I'm glad you included a B&W. The color photographs, with the possible exception of the upper left one, work primarily because they're in color. The B&W one works, not because it's B&W, but soley because of her. I like your post very much because it's been a nice excercise in the photo appreciation department. I kind of like seeing more than one photo at a time, but some do stand on their own at times, too. Good job.

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), November 10, 2000.

I find myself agreeing a lot with Tony lately. Scary..... ;-)

Yes, I love the woman as well. I also like slow-sync shots in general, and the one included here at the bottom right is a good effort. Woderful saturated colours. However, I think it maybe is a little too slow -- it has become a little confusing. But these things are hit-and-miss.

Good work. Show us the results next time there is a band!

-- Allan Engelhardt (allane@cybaea.com), November 11, 2000.

I like the one on the lower left. It's one of those shots that despite a variety of miscues, captures absolutely everything there is to feel about music at its most basic.

Of the color shots, the upper left is the only one that says anything. Somehow, rock (and related genre) photography needs to communicate intensity, and the rest don't seem to have it.

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), November 11, 2000.

Lower left is definitely the keeper- this submission reminds me of an old trick I heard from an old sports photographer who had this advice for submitting to newspaper photo editors: "Always send one or two bad ones with the good one- it moves them from 'should I use this?' to 'which one should I use?'".... don't know if it works. but it sounded great....

-- Chris Yeager (cyeager@ix.netcom.com), November 13, 2000.

Thank you all for your comments. they are gratly appreciated

-- rob dalrymple (robd13@erols.com), November 15, 2000.