Music News
4
Apr 10
Music Photography Explained 003
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…
20
Feb 10
Find what you have lost…
I love my music, I love my photography and for the last two years I’ve been combining those two things in my quest to become a music photographer… Well, I got what I wanted and I’ve had an amazing time doing it! I wanted to be that guy, the one in the pit in front of the crowd, nothing to distract me from the band, just me and them and my camera and that was that.
My very first music photograph - The Rushes
I’ve decided to give my little project the weekend off, let it out to pasture. I’m done with music photography for a number of reasons and I’m very happy with what I’ve achieved in the last two years.
My highlights, well… Alice in Chains was special, Metallica was powerful, NiN was sombre, Counting Crows was electric, Dave Matthews Band was invigorating, Lou Rhodes was emotional, U2 was large… The list goes on and on (well, for another 90 or so bands)
Further down the track - Stefan | Dave Matthews Band
What did I learn? Most bands don’t even know you’re there, PR agencies think they’re god and are part of what is wrecking the music industry, You don’t need a really good camera but it helps, It’s hard to focus sometimes when you’re singing, Alcohol and photography are not friends, Photographing festivals is tiring and inspiring and some artists, the ones that do see you, and encourage you and engage you, they’re awesome. (There’s one like this, I’ll be shooting her again – but for the love of it)
Like I said in podcast four, Maybe it’s time to check out other areas of photography, I don’t like being stuck on the one country road for to long, so maybe it’s time to get that baking book that my friend Nicki gave me out and start baking and snapping – though, we already know just how good I am in the kitchen!
I'm awesome in the kitchen, awesome...
9
Feb 10
Podcast Three – Weekly Round Up
gtvone podcasts bring you number three…
The stuff mentioned in this podcast include the following..
DiscoDroid
Lexar Professional
SanDisk Pro
GTech USB
Canon EOS 550D
Photography Monthly
Here’s a shot that I didn’t take and that I’m using illegally – It was taken by the ever amazing Nathan Pask, www.nathanpask.com It’s from his series “I can see better”
29
Oct 09
“Top Ten” Music Photography “Issues”
A little series here, a little series there – Today we start the “Top Ten – Music Photography” series.
The theme today is “the Top Ten issues you could run into that might ruin your shoot if you let them” (And, in true X Factor form… the Top Ten issues, in no particular order are….)
10. Gear Failure! I recently shot a fella named Nate James for Blues & Soul magazine – Most of the images on THIS aData memory card
9. Shooting rock gods IS amazingly fun – I mean, you’re feet away from your “hero” he’s singing for you… and then, a plastic beer bottle half filled with WEE hits you in the back of the head, drips down your shirt collar and goes on your camera.. Not fun!
8. Red Light, Blue Light! – Here… Let me illustrate! …Nothing kills a good shot like badly placed Red and Blue (And purple and green) lights… Badly placed, no whites… Color is good, sometimes!
Movement, Power, Blue, Red
7. Security! Sometimes they’re amazing and helpful and chatty and approachable. Sometimes they’re complete low life, jobsworth, hard headed “I’m the god of this place” scum…
These guys were the good guys...
6. There’s RED, BLUE and GREEN and then there’s “Not Seen!” – Recent gig, Hilltop Hoods and there was NO front light whatsoever… The lighting guy decided that he’d stick some par cans on the side of the stage, facing forwards, and some white strobes from the back, again firing forwards… Not conducive to good images – even with the Canon 5DMk2 and its wonderful high iso button…
5. A “pit” full of photographers is nice, fun… You make contacts and friends… But sometimes there’s one or two that are WAY better than everyone else – maybe in their head – and they roll in like they own the place, step all over you and rock back out… How to make friends and influence people… #namingnamesisbad
4. Security at the entrance of the o2 – Nuff said… Worst in London so far as JobsWorth goes – once you’re inside, then that’s OK… but if you even LOOK like you’re going to skip out on that BLOODY metal detector, you’re dead! “What’s in the bag?” – “Cameras” – “Why” – “Because I’m a photographer, here’s my pass and my act is on stage in three minutes” – “Who hired you?” – NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!… Grrr..haha, I made myself angry thinking about those guys!!… (Yes, I realise WHY security is in place, but you go through there with a camera bag and the wrong look on your face THEN come talk to me!)
3. Evil PR people! While some PR agencies and people n the industry are stunning, helpful and lovely (You know who you are!) there are some that are almost the most unhelpful people you will EVER meet. “You can’t get a pass because I give out the passes and I don’t like you, and you can’t do anything for me and I’m smart and funny and you’re a Canon user and I’m not wearing any underwear” – Yeah, really*
Boring Crowds!
2. With most music photography, you only get three songs and you’re out… If the band are down and don’t give you a good three songs, you can sometimes hate the photos you take and get demotivated – I think crowd reaction in part, along with how the crowd are treated and built up pre-show is key, but if the crowd are dead boring (like the lot above were) then, you’re stuffed… Aside from Aworan, My brother from another mother there in the pit looking all smart like!
and LAST but not least!!
1. Enjoying amazing music but having to leave the second the third song is finished! Having to run out while Alice in Chains are playing your favorite track EVER – Out you get, you’re finished! your WORK here is done.
So, that’s “fun list” number one – Ten things that could potentially stuff up your music photography gig!
Nice one.
Sime
27
Oct 09
Michael Buble announces UK TOUR
London Tuesday 27th October – Multi award winning performer Michael Buble has announced that he will be returning to the UK in 2010 to woo audiences across the length and breadth of the country in support of his latest studio release ‘Crazy Love’.
Michael Buble
With over 22 million albums sold worldwide, multiple awards (including 6 Juno Awards, 5 Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards and a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album), three #1 hits including ‘Home’, ‘Everything’ and ‘Lost’ and 145 sold out shows to date, Michael Buble has more than earned his place as one of the most popular and revered artists of this decade.
The 2010 dates come in support of his most recent studio album ‘Crazy Love’ a collection of classic songs and new compositions. It becomes clear listening to ‘Crazy Love’ that the trademark of Bublé’s songs is a voice that evokes his passion for life and an edgy sense of humanity and romance.
MICHAEL BUBLE
‘Crazy Love’ Tour
MAY 2010
THURSDAY 06 SHEFFIELD ARENA
SATURDAY 08 GLASGOW SECC
SUNDAY 09 MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS ARENA
TUESDAY 11 LIVERPOOL ECHO ARENA
WEDNESDAY 12 NEWCASTLE METRO RADIO ARENA
FRIDAY 14 BIRMINGHAM LG ARENA
SATURDAY 15 LONDON 02 ARENA
Tickets go on-sale at 9am Friday 30th October 2009 priced at Regional £50 &£80 / London £65, £45 & £95 and are available from www.livenation.co.uk
20
Oct 09
INQ Mini… Cont’d
So, you guys know how much I love my music.. Well, I’ve borked my iPod charger (And she who must be obeyed has flogged my other!) and as such am currently without music on the way into work.
The Great Combining
As you ALSO know if you follow me on Twitter, I’ve picked up one of the cute little INQ Mini 3G social mobiles! Well, I thought, I know, I’ll get me a bit of extra memory, whack a few tunes on it and listen away – BUT OF COURSE, I’ve forgotten my headphones (The ones that come with the device) and I can’t use any others… You know why? Because the headphones that come with the INQ Mini have a Mini USB connector…. I understand why INQ took that decision, but seriously… The good will generated by fitting in a 3.5mm stereo jack… VAST! What about incorporation a 3.5mm stereo jack within the USB plug? Or Vice Versa.. Odd, I know…Hey – I could be onto something there!
Anyway, I went searching for alternatives… and it turns out that there are many!
So, we have The T-Mobile Version
So yes, many options to turn USB into 3.5mm but not HERE on my desk!
Do you have a device with a non standard audio plug on it? How does that make you feel?
16
Oct 09
Artist Profile : James Hetfield | Metallica
James Alan Hetfield, born August 3, 1963 in Downey, LA County to a trucker father, Virgil, and an opera singing mother, Cynthia – His parent strong “Christian Science” believers brought James up in the same way, being strong believers in their faith, one that abhorred the use of conventional medicine, saw James’ mother die of Cancer. James was nine when he began learning the piano and fourteen when he finally picked up a guitar, but only after he had started having a crack at playing his brother’s drums.
Hetfield identifies Aerosmith as having been his main musical influence as a child, and has said that they were the reason why he wanted to play guitar. Other bands such as Motörhead, ZZ Top, Black Sabbath, Saxon, Diamond Head, Johnny Cash, Kiss, Rush, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Queen, Waylon Jennings, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Blue Öyster Cult, Venom, Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy also had a major influence on his musical tastes.
James Hetfield
I was looking through some images from a recent festival shoot and came across this shot of James, which is what made me have a bit of a read about him. I’ve been a Metallica fan admittedly only since the Black Album
I think my fave Metallica album would have to be Ride the Lightning
Now I’m sleeping! Night!
Sime
15
Oct 09
Blog Action Day | Black&White
Blog Action Day in Black & White
I was sitting thinking “How does Blog Action Day” translate into my world… Sure, I could go down the turn your PC off route, but no, not today… I was thinking of what it means in relation to me, and how climate change, global warming and etc are related to power consumption and the way we use the planet. What does that all have to do with me as a concert photographer? What is the first thing you think of when you go to a big concert (no, after the music.. no, not the hot dogs outside… no, not the cute security guards…) that’s right, well done, the lights… the seven MILLION watt lights that are trying to set the band on fire (Unless you’re shooting / visiting Scala in London where the lights would be bettered if a candle were lit and placed in the middle of the stage!!) and the transport, yep.. and what about the fans and their transport? all costs our planet a lot more than we probably think about…
Did you know that it takes U2 a convoy of about 50 trucks carrying stage components, lighting, TV screens and sound equipment to get from gig to gig?
Did you know that Radiohead on their last tour encouraged car pooling, chose urban venues with strong transport links that were easy to get to on public transport, used low emission LED lighting, chose a tour itinerary that kept air freight to a minimum, recycled all food and drink packaging.
So, I’ve popped together a collection of black and white images that show “Light use” at some of the concerts I have photographed in the last couple of years… Maybe we need to find a more responsible way to light / power these rolling monoliths… and don’t forget, there are the concerts with the lights and the power and the noise, but think about all the things related to those concerts?… transport, venues heating or cooling all the way down to the power taken to print the tickets… why not give everyone a secret number! quote the number, get a pass! :: Yep, 2:09am and I’m in need of sleep, so without further ado, here’s a set of images that in my opinion spell “entertainment wastage”except for Alice in Chains, they only used ONE light… grrrr (Didn’t matter, I was singing baby!) :: Hope you’ve enjoyed my take on Blog Action Day as it applies to me.
Metallica
Dave Matthews Band
The Prodigy
MORE IMAGES AFTER THE JUMP…
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