I was attempting to convey the frantic movement of my son playing the drums. In this regard I think I was succesful. I didn't have tripod with me at the time, so I decided i wouldn't even try to hold the camera still for the full exposure. So, my question is: does the blurred background enhance or hurt the blurred image of the boy?
Also, how do you like the composition compared to the similar shot in my personal gallery?
IMHO you have caught the frantic movement and this is enhanced by the blurred background. I think also this picture works better in colour rather than black and white.
Larry -
This one works best of the two. It is more dynamic than the other, whose background seems a little distracting to me.
Nice shot... were your ears ringing afterwards??
FWIW, I think this is the better of the two, too. The bright colors of the background objects in the other shot draw too much attention. I'd differ on the camera-induced motion here, though. If the objective was to show the frantic movement of the drummer, a sharp (or at least stable - you might want to allow it to go soft, DOF-wise) background would provide a better contrast, or point of reference, I think. I like the flow of the composition in this shot, though. Thus, I'd suggest a retake with a tripod. Then, compare, and see which you like better.