Perez Hilton hosted “One Night in London” at Indigo2 at o2 Arena on the weekend, with performances by Kelis, Peaches, Diana Vickers, The Hoosiers, and the Capital Children’s Choir.
You can see some images by clicking on the photograph above.
All images are © Simon Pollock / www.gtvone.com and not to be used without permission
I’d finished shooting Blondie and Little Fish and was walking out of the o2 complex..
…it was still light’ish and I wanted to see how much of the dome I could fit in with the Sigma 8-16mm that I have at the moment, within moments of pointing my camera at the dome, this is what happened..
Sec. “You’re taking a photo?”
Me. “No doubt”
Sec. “You’re not allowed”
Me. “Why not? You’ve not stopped me the last ohh, THOUSAND times…”
Sec. “Who are you?”
Me. “Nobody… Why don’t you stop that girl? *points*”
Sec. “She doesn’t have a professional camera, she won’t sell the photograph”
Sec. *on his walkie talkie* “Would you please check out the guy at the main doors, he won’t stop taking photos”
Me. “I’ve got my shot, bye bye”
Sec. *looking deflated* “Tell me your name”
Me. “You don’t need to know my name”
You can't take photos here!
By this point, a young lad has wandered over and has asked me “do you want to know what they did to me in there tonight?” of course I’m interested… The venue security at o2 leave a lot to be desired – I’m talking the general mob, not iNdigo2 who are actually brilliant… Just the general venue security.. So, he shows me his arms [where you would be carried by security if there was one on either side of you] both bruised… The young lad claims that after some sort of emotional outburst, they were ejected (His GF’s mum had died and Jack Johnson’s music reminded her of old times.. so fair play) the lad and his mate had words with security and after a minor scuffle in the lift (no cameras!) and some bruised arms, they were ejected…
How does this all tie in?It actually doesn’t..
But, by this time “security guard number one” had called his boss who was now standing next to me [with four others] I was talking to the beaten kid… security guard number one, let’s call him SG1 was trying to get his words in “he’s given beaten kid his business card!” ..over and over… Yeah, I did? does that bother you? Do you have something to hide?
So Security Boss asks what the issue is, I tell him there’s no issue with me, I know it’s private property and I’ve stopped taking photos, but, that I have taken about a thousand photos here before and have had no issues – he actually remembers me and has no issues… we move on to beaten kid – I look at the kids arm, then back to security boss and say “This isn’t on, what are you going to do about it” to which he replies “I don’t know, I didn’t see it” convenient, wouldn’t you say…
I don’t think that’s the end of beaten kid’s story – the security boss took him away to [I hope] sweeten him [This is after he spies my press card] with [I think] a refund… [at least]
That’s not the end of my story though… What I’d like to know is what made me different from the girl that was taking photos? She was using a Canon G11, I was using a Canon 30D …hers had more MP than mine, the potential to take as good a shot as mine (obv depending on the user) but mine was black and bulky… I certainly didn’t whip my press card out and say “hey, back off scumbag” but after him stating “You have no idea what the rules are” I showed him my press card and explained that I had some idea what the rules were and that I was on private land and that he was right to ask me to stop – but what he couldn’t answer was why it was OK for the girl with the slightly smaller camera to take almost the same photo I was taking? – I will never get an answer and no doubt I’ll take photos there again…
For those of you that want to know where o2 security can’t touch you any more… see below (get out of the green bit before you take another photo)
Right then!
Part one was “Why D’you wanna”
Part two was “How you gunna?”
And today I thought I’d tell you what happens, from the minute you decide to shoot a gig… Who you contact and what happens if they say yes!
If only there were a piano, do you think the crowd will notice?
It’s exciting, that decision to “Step it up” you’ve been shooting bands at pubs and free gigs, that sort of thing, but you think you’re ready to take the next step – to up it to the next level of amazingness, you’re ready to
step into the ring, so to speak… So, let’s walk you through the steps of my Dave Matthews Band gig – that was pure amazing, standing literally inches away from a musician that has inspired you, musically, to better things… There’s no real way to explain the energy that flows off stage, through the pit and out into the crowd… These guys play music because they love playing music, the live it… And that’s what you’re there trying to capture – you have to show those shots to the world and hope that they can live it through your eyes…
Well, every story has a beginning and I guess I should start at that part of this story…
We all start somewhere...
Today, lesson number one, we’re going to assume a few things.. (assumption… making an ASS out of YOU and UMPTION)
I wrote a quick piece on “how to get a photo pass” a while back, it’s had a lot of traffic to it, infact, it’s one of the most widely read bits of trash on my blog – “trash god amongst trash” or some such thing… Well, Debbie made a comment last night and I’ve decided to, as I can’t really go out and shoot right now myself, try to help her out – I may fail, but I won’t know unless I try, right?
Ace image by "Still Burning" used under Attribution Noncommercial
So, To get a photo pass for Nickelback, the first thing we’re going to need is a commission of sorts… I have a couple of ideas, here they are;
1. Local Newspaper coverage – Find something unique / Local interest
2. Music magazine – Nickelback, as much as you don’t want them to be, are “Band of the Decade”
According to chartattack.com, Nickelback has been declared the band of the decade by Billboard magazine. They have sold more records than any other band from 2000 to 2009, which consists of more than 30 million albums worldwide from the four albums they have released over the decade.
Now, I know a few of the guys that are going to be at this one, they’re people that have been shooting music here in London for a long time, they’re very good at what they do and they mostly “have it covered” so it’s going to be difficult to slot someone in that a. doesn’t have any previous experience, b. has not photographed music “from the pit” before and c. doesn’t have a commission – but look, if you don’t try, if you can’t help someone out – what good are you?
Watch this space…
Sime
I can’t work out who I would rather photograph, given the choice… Who would you like to photograph in a live gig environment?… Yeah, forget the fact that a couple of these guys are “no longer with us” let’s just live the dream shall we? Keep it real on both sides of the line… Vote below
Doug Scarratt of Saxon
I started photographing bands as an experiment in April last year… I love doing it, I’ve managed to get myself into some pretty amazing gigs. Counting Crows, The Prodigy, U2, Metallica, Alice in Chains, Razorlight to name a few larger concerts.. Some amazing venues, Wembley Stadium and Arena, O2 arena, Brixton Academy, Hammersmith Apollo… Knebworth and Benicassim – It has been an amazing, eye opening ride. A ride filled with rights issues, snooty PR people, power tripping security men and women and snobby artists, but it’s had amazing artists, security and PR as well, and music and atmosphere that can’t be bettered.
The Edge of U2
I listed some names yesterday that I’d love to photograph, but, at the same time I have to ask myself why… In the 500 or so days that I’ve been taking music photos I’ve made very little by way of return. I’ve been told that “we have no budget” “what do you mean you’re going to invoice us” “It’s great that you’re giving us the images for free” “You’re welcome to shoot, we’ll get a free copy of the images I assume” and many other phrases a lot like these… Well, I don’t know, maybe I am an idiot, but at some point I have to start turning this around… I spend so much time doing it that it’s passed a hobby – I’m not that bad at it – I rank in google (2nd page, hey.. getting there) but I’m all on my own here… Should I perhaps consider trying to get agency representation? Should I start taking photos of coffee cups for a micro-stock agency?
I don’t expect hand outs, hell – you have to work hard if you want to get anywhere, right? And I love photographing music – totally, but where is that line?
Does anyone else have an experience like mine? Still rolling down that rocky road? Share it in the comments section below. Or should I just dress up like a freak and keep doing it for free?
Fans in all shapes and sizes
It’s good to have goals, to have something to work towards and, as a non represented music photographer, work is the key word there!.. To get the list of gigs below will take a lot of running around on my own dime, a lot of wasting my own time.. But it’s all good – if you want to establish yourself as a music photographer, or, as anything, you need to do the hard yards – this stuff doesn’t just fall in my lap, and, unless your name is Paris Hilton, I dare say it won’t fall in yours either…
Loud and Messy
I don’t have much on the current music horizon… Here’s what I’d like to do!
Paramore : Paramore at Islington Academy
Zero7 : Zero7 at Roundhouse (With any luck, with Sia – Video below)
Dream theatre : Dream Theatre at Wembley
Editors : Editors at Wolves Civic
Idlewild : Idlewild at London Electric Ballroom
Jamie T : Jamie T at Brixton
Jet : Jet at the London Forum
Lily Allen : Lily Allen at Brixton
Massive Attack : Massive Attack at Brixton
Maximo Park : Maximo Park at the Royal Albert Hall
Morrissey : Morrissey at the Royal Albert Hall
Muse : Muse at the o2 Arena
NDubz : NDubz at Shepherds Bush Empire
Noisettes : Noisettes at Shepherds Bush Empire
Placebo : Placebo at the o2 Arena
Seth Lakeman : Seth Lakeman at Shepherds Bush Empire
Skunk Anansie : Skunk Anansie at Brixton *AMAZING WEBSITE*
The Living End : The Living End at the Forum
The Offspring : The Offspiring at Brixton
Sia Furler singing Breathe Me on Wednesday October 24, 2007 at KCRW
Layne is dead, RIP Layne, Alice in Chains continue on… I was just reading a post over on blabbermouth about the gig the other night, some people make me laugh… Anyway, here’s a shot that I like from the Scala gig… As I’ve said, one of the best gigs I’ve been to in years… Alice in Chains totally rocked Scala and everyone I spoke to about the gig totally loved it… I was the singing photographer mentioned on the Alice in Chains website and hell, I’m proud of it…
Jerry Cantrell - Alice in Chains
Remember the scene out of Singles, the movie… Where it cuts to Alice in Chains playing “It Ain’t like that” on stage? That’s what made me love the band…
Here’s the one from the movie…
Here’s another one… man, what a song live… amazing…
Thoughts for Friday…
Old Skool version (Filmed on VHS!) of “Take me to the Hospital” by The Prodigy
I saw these guys crank this out live at Wembley earlier this year – after so many years, The Prodigy still smack your bitches up and have all the diesel power you could ever want…
Here’s a recreation of a photo I took at the gig, edited by Paul (really, very) Smart!
Keith Flint - The Prodigy
Well – It’s FRIDAY! I have a “down” weekend, no gigs to speak of and a bit of kitchen planning, car researching time on my hands – I have quite a bit of editing to do, including some jazz shots that I took at the “Three B’s” show at Indigo2 – “The Three Bs – Acker Bilk, Chris Barber, Kenny Ball”
Blowing your own horn.. Three B's
Now, on to more important topics… #followfriday – This is where peeps tag other peeps in their twitter feed…
Sometimes stating why someone should be followed, but generally it’s a suggestion by someone for other people to follow someone else…
I thought I’d list a few on here today… In no particular order!
@bigcrustyape - Best Mate and an amazing photographer @maxamphoto - All round good bloke, photographer, insomniac @hedgewytch - Little computer geek minx @fwump - Services to photography and one half of photographywired.com @_disco - The other half of photographywired.com and a genuine, lovely fella @tdnaylor - Best guitarist I know, Funny pelican loving kind of guy @jillm12 - A mysterious, lovely, reassuring person with a mad lust for Brandon Flowers @worldsporttv - My other life Worldsport.tv - The worlds greatest sports video / news website! @pixelens - A top photog and a Canadian, all in one! @bandsonstage - A photo pit buddy and a darn fine shot. @Moonshayde - Queen of Metal, Goddess with a camera. @helenboast - Hottest music photographer in the world?
Well, that’s an interesting list, and by no means definitive.
Just some different people that I see / interact with regularly that you should perhaps give the time of day.
I’ll leave you with a song, one of my favourites and, quite meaningful to me…
Colin Hay, I Just Don’t Think I’ll Ever Get Over You…
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