Concert organist at work

[Airy]

Ignace Michiels, from Brugge (Belgium), performing in Lille, Saint Martin d'Esquermes. I cannot praise enough
1) the organist
2) the 300/4 PF
Note: all shots at about 12800 ISO, wide open.

[golunvolo]

Excellent results, what camera are you using? How is the shutter sound?

 Images wise, I struggle a lot when shutting musicians if they have score sheets as they tend to be the stronger points of light -direct light on light reflective surface to top it off...- I see you made an effort to include it in the first image. You are braver than I am

   The second one shows the camera-lens is a strong combo indoors

  The third one is the most interesting for me. What a character. This guys looks like an artist. Love the proximity, contact, expression, framing...just missing the music

[John Geerts]

Great Portrait, that last Photo.  Must be the Df you used.  Praise nr. 3 ? 

[Airy]

Golunvolo, John, thanks for commenting.

I used the Df (what else ) in "Q" (quiet) mode. Given also the distance from the subject, disturbance is low. Of course I avoid triggering it during ppp passages.
1st shot was not "dodged" for having the sheet music appearing and readable, but it could have been done (I do it at times).
3rd one has Gioconda smile in it the guy is, by the way, nice - highly professional but keeping simple manners, as most Belgians do. Lovely people.

That 300PF combines excellent bokeh with absence of LoCA, and that makes it a winner for me. AF is very precise too.

[Airy]

forgot to mention - I also recorded the recital with my sound recording equivalent to the Df + 300 PF (a pair of Neumann mikes and a Fostex recorder). If you would like to hear some samples, send me you email address by PM.

[golunvolo]

That's very generous Thank you. Message send

[paullgj]

Exceptional IQ and detail.

[golunvolo]

Listening to Mr.  Ignace Michiels now. Thanks Airy!

[armando_m]

Nice little series

I can only imagine ho good the organ should sound being so close

[JohnBrew]

Nice set of images. I still remember when my parents came home with an E. Power Biggs album (I believe that name is correct, I AM getting on in years!)

[Airy]

right, Edward Power Biggs. On your side of the Atlantic, he pioneered the "historically informed" way of playing ancient music, opposite to Virgil Fox who was a modernist genius.

[Airy]

I can only imagine ho good the organ should sound being so close

Not so good, actually. More often than none, the "right" place where to put one's head (or a pair of microphones) is where the reverberated sound more or less balances the direct sound. The more reverberation, the closer. The uncertainty on the subjective optimum is often a matter of +/- 1m or less.