Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Deeper Blues


I always end up shooting something completely different with each shoot that comes at me. There are two things to say about this. One, I'm still a novice in shooting since I haven't stuck to one thing yet, and two I still shoot things that "come up" instead of things I "make happen." To jump those two lines will place me on a map as "xyz photographer." Thanks for encouragement from Alan and Jeremy, I should be starting to have a place on the map maybe sometime this summer. (I think I said this last summer, no?) There are numerous opportunities with band photography from local clubs to traveling shows and I have many hookups for both. And, most importantly shooting live music is my most favored flavor of photography.

The image to the left is of a blues band named Deeper Blues. They truly blew me away with the soul of blues laced with the power of rock. It was actually hard to shoot at times because I wanted to intake the music as freely as the crowd was. Being on side stage, and partially laying on the front of it, gives the entire show a different feel. Sort of disconnected from the projection the musicians are giving off yet very connected spatiality speaking. I usually shoot with my trusty 17-35 lens which requires me to be about 5 feet from the performer. I always think being so close will tick someone off in the band, but nothing has been further from that thought. They usually love having someone shooting them and especially someone like myself who doesn't stop moving and will ninja slide out onto the floor to get 'the shot.' I remember my days of being in a metal/rock band and I rather enjoyed people standing around while I played the skins. It made one feel "popular." Now, the only thing to worry about is angry crowd people, but that hasn't happened either. I figure they are too jealous to say anything because they are shooting from 20 feet away with a point-and-shoot. ;)

The above image was shot with a Canon Mark II, f/3.5 @ 1/80th.