M9 + 35/2 at a bachelor party

[amoz]

+ the SF 24D flash (not used in TTL mode)

Hope you like the shots. (I sure liked the party.)

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[amoz]

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[amoz]

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[djcphoto]

Now that's how you tell a story through photographs! Really good series. I feel hungover after looking at them!

[ChrisN]

Good work - great series there really tells the story. Nice B&W conversions too - in-camera or PP? Thanks.

[jasonrutter]

Those are pretty fun images. Your a brave man to have taken your M9 to a bachelor party.

[amoz]

I like that you feel hungover now, "djc", quite a compliment!

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Good work - great series there really tells the story. Nice B&W conversions too - in-camera or PP? Thanks.

Thanks, Chris. I only use the M in raw, the conversion to B&W is done in Aperture.

Thanks, Jason, and for the record: I take my M9 anywhere. Didn't spend that much on a camera to then not take it out. 8-)

[filmfan]

If you want my honest opinion, it's that they are okay.
I mean, I'm no talent case or anything myself, but thought I'd throw that out there.
I think you would benefit from cutting down the image count. I see the same photo over and over and think you could do this same series in like 5-8 shots if you were to not add any more content.

[amoz]

Thanks for the advice, filmfan! Of course I want honest opinions.

Part of the reason I didn't narrow down more is that it was really a group thing, and I wanted to see if everyone involved could get a main role in at least one picture. That is probably not a good approach when selecting pics for an online forum, I totally agree.

On the other hand, I would have a hard time selecting max. 8 shots and still tell the full story... That is maybe because I am no longer able to look at them with a fresh eye (if that expression even exists!).

[KoNickon]

Did you use an underwater housing for the M9? Spilled beer will ruin the electronics....

Maybe there is a little repetition to the pictures, but not bad -- different aspects of the same scenes. I have to admit that it's not a topic that I care much for, though -- guys drinking too much and acting like idiots. Sorry if I'm offending friends of yours!

[filmfan]

Originally Posted by amoz

Thanks for the advice, filmfan! Of course I want honest opinions.

Part of the reason I didn't narrow down more is that it was really a group thing, and I wanted to see if everyone involved could get a main role in at least one picture...

Well with risk of providing more brutal honesty, because the shots are BW and because all your friends are wearing the same shirts (and basically look the same), it all looks like the same photo regardless of the person in it. Also, you used the same flash effect for the entire series which adds to the homogeneity.
Don't get me wrong-- I am a BW guy through and through, however using color would help this series tremendously due to its ability to individualize a strikingly homogeneous group without losing the group feel to it.

[boomguy57]

Originally Posted by amoz

Thanks for the advice, filmfan! Of course I want honest opinions.

Part of the reason I didn't narrow down more is that it was really a group thing, and I wanted to see if everyone involved could get a main role in at least one picture. That is probably not a good approach when selecting pics for an online forum, I totally agree.

On the other hand, I would have a hard time selecting max. 8 shots and still tell the full story... That is maybe because I am no longer able to look at them with a fresh eye (if that expression even exists!).

I agree, fewer shots would help.

[raid]

Who was that one woman in the images?

[robklurfield]

Good to see that no one here overindulged. Nice also that, given your likely condition, any of these are in focus.

[Keith]

Those photos brought back painful reminders of days gone by ... as fun as it was I'm so glad I don't do that any more!

It's the hangovers that get you in the end ... that and more respect for your liver!

[Archiver]

Originally Posted by raid

Who was that one woman in the images?

There was a woman? All I saw were a bunch of guys in grey t-shirts drinking.

+1 with everyone else. You could cut down the number of images and select ones with more distinctiveness from each other. Black and white has rendered them all into one bunch of people, but I really do like your black and white processing. It's strong without looking artificial or overblown.

[skibeerr]

Goe bezig!

Wa moete de mense na denke


This makes me a bit homesick; the beer is so much better and summer starts over there. Much better than what we are getting in Melbourne today.

Fun series by the way.

Wim

[amoz]

Originally Posted by Archiver

There was a woman? All I saw were a bunch of guys in grey t-shirts drinking.

+1 with everyone else. You could cut down the number of images and select ones with more distinctiveness from each other. Black and white has rendered them all into one bunch of people, but I really do like your black and white processing. It's strong without looking artificial or overblown.

Thanks for all the comments, it really helps to hear what other photographers think. I will try and put up a few of the images in colour tonight (say, in about ten hours from now).

For those still wondering: the woman was the bartender of one of the pubs we visited. She was a lot smaller than our bachelor-friend and so she practically jumped on top of him to have a dance together.

Originally Posted by skibeerr

Goe bezig!

Wa moete de mense na denke


This makes me a bit homesick; the beer is so much better and summer starts over there. Much better than what we are getting in Melbourne today.

Fun series by the way.

Wim

Ha! Dear fellow Belgian, maybe I can bring you some real beers when passing through Melbourne in September-October...

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by amoz

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I've never seen hotdogs in a can that size...

[alexnotalex]

i love 25, 28, and 29 (he has his vest on outside in?)
you could pull them together as a photobook for the guys... print the best 5 in big, then group the others in a collage.... 6 or more at a time. This way you get the impact from the better composed shots as well as the narrative from the others. It's important for the guys in the group all to appear at their best (worst!)

looks like you had great fun! Rum and hot dogs for breakfast. It only gets better!

thanks for sharing
Alex

[froyd]

All I could think was good on you for taking the M9 out on an evening such as the one you captured... I think I might have chickened out and taken a waterproof disposable :P

[fotomeow]

for a project that could have gone soooooo wrong, it ended up going soooooooo right ............

[MISH]

in my opinion...... this subject matter is one that calls for some repetition... I am sure everyone in the group is quite happy with this series. You did a fine job with the black and white and I can't see color adding anything for me.

BTW I saw two women

[Captain Trips]

I think it is a great series. It conveys the sense of party really well, especially
te morning after!
If in Melbourne, there is the Belgian Beer garden in St Kilda road. Maybe the wrong time of the year for it though.

[Johann Espiritu]

What happens in Vegas - stays on RFF.