Tea Dance, a photo from London, England

Photographer's Note

I was fortunate to be visiting London's Spittalfields market when a tea dance was in full swing. The tea dance is held once a month in the market and the dancers included many regulars as well as people who just fancied getting up and joining in.It is called a tea dance simply because tea is served at an interval half way through the dancing session.If you were to ask me what I enjoyed most about my trip to London I would say the tea dance as I was quite charmed by itand only wished I had on my dancing shoes.

graffer, saxo042, Cretense, broglia, Royaldevon, CLODO has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

windosil (1158) 2010-08-01 2:07

Wonderful, Bev! I don't dare make further comment about the lady with the curled hair, except what beautiful fingers she has. The other lady reminds me of Mma Ramotswe's secretary.
Excellent variation of sharpness.
Winifred

auldal (1380) 2010-08-01 2:22

Bev

Perfect concentration - I like the DOF in this one, spotlighting the foreground couple, so well observed.

Alastair

Janice (4403) 2010-08-01 3:06

Wow Bev - how wonderful to see these serious ladies following the dance steps together. They know what they are doing and I bet they go there often
Good focus on them both, nice clear details and colours. And I like how they stand out among the crowd in the BG.
Well done
Janice

graffer (1800) 2010-08-01 4:24

Hello Bev,

My first thought when I saw this was that it reminded me of the Joyce Grenfell song "Stately as a Galleon", where she sings of dancing "Bust to Bust" with her female partner.

Anyway, this is another fine example of your people watching. The formidable lady in curlers playing the male role here is so immersed in her dancing that she has no idea that you are photographing her. I wonder what grand later occasion she is going to when she will find it necessary to take her curlers out.

Composition analysis � see WS:

It's some time since I found one of my triangles for you, but here is a good one linking the dancing couple's arms - and the electric light is positioned neatly close to the apex of the "triangle". This makes a very strong anchor for the composition.

The thirds grid that I have superimposed shows that the linked hands are close to an intersection of thirds [Powerpoint], and the gaze of the lady on the left lies straight along the upper horizontal thirds line.

The out of focus background couple on the right gives a good sense of depth to the image too.

Good colours and sharp focus on the main couple - all in all a fine photograph.

Kind regards,

Peter.

[2] [workshop] [compare] +

holmertz (101880) 2010-08-01 7:24

Hello Bev,
I don't know which word to use for this splendid photo: "lovely", "charming", or maybe "interesting". In any case it's an excellent composition, putting this tightly cropped and rather colourful couple in the foreground, with several interesting couples slightly blurred behind. There are many fine details to watch among the hairdos and hands.
Now I know: the word is "touching".
Kind regards,
Gert

saxo042 (38078) 2010-08-01 8:47

Hi Bev,
A very fine capture of this scene. I also noticed the triangle here, formed by their arms, and Peterｴs WS is also very good. I like tea dances too, there is a place in Gothenburg that arranges tea dances once a month on Saturday afternoons in the winter half of the year. Different bands are invited to play. Both big bands I belong to have played every year.
Gunnar

wolf38 (30) 2010-08-01 11:25

Hi Bev. A photo from the middle of life - and a successful social study. Very realiastisch and authentic. You've watched the scene well and realized. Two Faces are very expressive. Really excellent. Regards, Wolfgang.

jvachon (548) 2010-08-01 13:05

Hello Bev,
What an interesting shot, with great lighting and colour. I like how the dancers stand out from the BG. Well done!! I love the serious expression of the lady in the lead. Those are some painted on eyebrows! Great shot of everyday life. Joni

tusharkmandal (3173) 2010-08-01 22:04

Hi Bev,

Its a very lovely photo posted by you. THe note too is very informative. I like the expressions which you have captured. The background couples also add nicely to the composition.

Have a nice Time
Tushar

Cretense (68709) 2010-08-03 8:26

Hi Bev!

Excellent and unusual daily life scene! Great tight framing and composition, great timing! Excellent light management under dificult conditions!

Hercules

Coolka (0) 2010-08-09 3:07

Hello Bev,

What a fantastic scene!
What I love the most? The lady`s image - her hair, make-up, long nails, gold rings, earings, "pearls" , and her clothes.
All is in pure taste but I love it :)

regards
Joanna

broglia (3604) 2010-08-09 14:10

Hi Bev, at first I thought she'd forgotten to take her curlers out! She certainly looks a formidable woman. I'm surprised Peter didn't manage a triangle out of those rather scary eyebrows! Joking aside - a lovely moment well captured.

Best regards, Bob

Royaldevon (85576) 2010-08-10 3:29

Hello Bev,

My smile moved from ear to ear when I saw this!
What a classic! Coronation St. has nothing on this!!
I just love the personality of the lead 'man', so intent on the role that her partner and the photographer have no interest at all! What determination!
Your exposure is spot-on; the composition is delightful, with the focal people strongly placed, and the dof couldn't be better.

Have a good day,
Bev :-)

delnaja (2056) 2010-08-11 10:25

oh that woman ! She doesn't look very nice :-) Strong character she must have ! She is leading the dance it seems also. My green smiley for HER !

hanza (132) 2010-08-19 8:49

very sharp picture of the lady dancing..you can even see her smeared eyeshadow ..and almost said..." i lead this dance " by the way she grasp the other lady.Very nice hairdo she has.. that is her hairstyle and she not wearing a hair rollers .I almost can see her earring swinging when she moves ..cool picture

iainsp (3298) 2010-09-03 6:23

Hi Bev,

Now this is a real dance photograph - and is going in to my favourites collection. Technically the couple is crisply focused and nicely framed with a little bit of space for them to move in to on the right (those of us who have danced on busy floors appreciate how often that space to move in to really is quite small).

But more importantly than the technical details, this picture tells a story - the dancers' faces are so expressive. Great shot, well done.

regards and thanks, Iain

CLODO (45116) 2010-09-03 7:10

Hi Bev

Excellent. One seems very concerned, the other is looking far away. I like very much the position of the hands, and all the bling bling jewels
Cheers
CLODO

Photo Information

Copyright: Bev Turner (Glint) (6171)
Genre: 人間
Medium: カラー
Date Taken: 2010-07-30
Categories: 日常生活
Exposure：　f/7.1, 1/200 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Photo Version：　Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s)：　aren't people fascinating?, come dancing, Composition Analysis Workshops, London [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2010-08-01 1:04
お気に入り：　1 [view]