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 that I used came out “in half” – You can read about it here

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