Mike Bullington
July 2026 - Taiko Drumming performance
About the Image(s)
Spectators gather on the steps of the Oregon State Capitol in Salem to watch a Taiko drumming performance during Cherry Blossom Day, March 2026.
Tech info: 24mm, 1/8000, f2.8. No significant post-processing other than basic contrast
4 comments posted
Mike, I do not see mention of technical specifications as these help others in better understanding of the image and one can suggest improvements, if required, to the photographer.
Secondly, the main subject is all blur. What I see clearly is the back of audience.
I suggest you to please go through the guidelines for image discussion group as mentioned in this website. Posted: 07/11/2026 22:08:13
Secondly, the main subject is all blur. What I see clearly is the back of audience.
I suggest you to please go through the guidelines for image discussion group as mentioned in this website. Posted: 07/11/2026 22:08:13
Ooops. My bad. I failed to load his tech specs. They are there now. Posted: 07/13/2026 08:50:54
(Group 4)
Hello Mike and welcome to the PJ Discussion groups. I'm guessing this is your first time submitting an image - way to go! Before I make some comments on the image there are few things to know that will help you understand how the groups work. As Subhash states, its a good idea to include as much information about the image in your discussion - what was your intent? what was it that caught your attention? What were the limitations taking the image? and also the settings. All of these help us understand the image from your viewpoint. I can see this was taken in March, so is a new image for you. I'm not sure if you are new to PJ or street photography, but if you are well done. Events like this are always a good way to start.
Now for the image. What I'm guessing is that the man in the purple hat/ cell phone caught your eye, as he is the sharpest part of the image. This then get me to ask the pivotal question - what is the story in this image? Is the story about the man in the purple hat, or is the story about the Taiko drumming performance. Perhaps it's both. For the drummers to be important in this image, they need to be sharper, or the cell phone pic needs to be clearer, brighter and more prominant. You could achieve this by cropping (see attached). There are quite an number of editing techniques allowed, so you might like to have a look at the website to check out the PJ definition and the editing restrictions. If you have any questions, just ask.
https://psaphotoworldwide.org/general/custom.asp?page=division-definitions
Additional; I can see the tech specs now. Sometimes we forget to check the settings and then whoops.... I'm sure you can see that this is probably not the best option, less speed, more DOF might really help here. Posted: 07/13/2026 01:15:25
Now for the image. What I'm guessing is that the man in the purple hat/ cell phone caught your eye, as he is the sharpest part of the image. This then get me to ask the pivotal question - what is the story in this image? Is the story about the man in the purple hat, or is the story about the Taiko drumming performance. Perhaps it's both. For the drummers to be important in this image, they need to be sharper, or the cell phone pic needs to be clearer, brighter and more prominant. You could achieve this by cropping (see attached). There are quite an number of editing techniques allowed, so you might like to have a look at the website to check out the PJ definition and the editing restrictions. If you have any questions, just ask.
https://psaphotoworldwide.org/general/custom.asp?page=division-definitions
Additional; I can see the tech specs now. Sometimes we forget to check the settings and then whoops.... I'm sure you can see that this is probably not the best option, less speed, more DOF might really help here. Posted: 07/13/2026 01:15:25
My comments all depend on what you were trying to do. If you were trying to show us the drummers you need a much different set of equipment. If you were trying to give use a street shot of the audience it has some potential but Jen's comments would be quite helpful. Look forward to your next submission. Posted: 07/18/2026 13:00:28