If only I could take photos like this one that Curt at better than crabs took at an illScarlett concert. I still love that song "Nothing Special" on illScarlett's myspace page. It turns a frown upside down EVERY time! Ah but, that's what music does for me. I was a bit cranky before My Chemical Romance the other night, but that didn't last long AT ALL.
Of course, I don't get a press pass to the shows I attend. And I get bopped around by the teenyboppers on the floor. Poor Jensies, I take her to these shows and we always have floor tickets and she's so small! I treated her to My Chemical Romance the other night, she tried to pay me for the tickets but I wouldn't have it. I hope she doesn't sue me for hearing loss when she's 50 though…
Another reason I can't get good photos at some concerts is because my camera gets confiscated like at the MCR show the other night!!! We were actually really close to the stage and it would have been awesome. My camera phone just doesn't cut it… ugh. In the past I was able to bury my bulky camera in the bottom of my bag and it went undetected by security. The guy was too wily this time. I thought about bolting into the arena when they weren't looking, but I figured that would get me a one-way ticket out of Rexall for the evening. And that just wouldn't work for me, so I gave it up. But I got the bestest idea EVER for the next concert. I'm going to bring a crappy camera in and place it in my bag on top of the good camera. When they find the crappy one, they'll stop looking and I'll surrender that one to security and walk merrily into the concert with my good camera! Snap!
By the way, don't start thinking I'm one of those annoying people that stands there filming the whole show. I just like to catch a few key moments for memory sake. Then I make a video that I can enjoy over and over again (like the one for Ok Go and Snow Patrol
J). Then Jen can watch it later and actually see what was happening on stage, haha.
Sometimes I spend my whole Saturday morning checking out new music I haven't heard before. These guys are coming to the Victory Lounge in a few days, check out their video here: The Reason – This is just the Beginning. Small venue, decent band, you can't go wrong…
I also can't believe I've never heard these guys before: Art of Dying – Get thru this. Not a bad song, not bad at all.
Ok, it's almost noon. Gotta get something done today!!!
7 comments:
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!!!!!
They pretty well all sound the same and quite nerve racking. No wonder you feel tired alot and no wonder speed and ecstacy are needed for these concerts!
No speed and ecstacy are needed, I'm high on the music :)
That concert was awesome! And I could actually see everything this time! :D We were really really close and people weren't nearly as shovey and butt-in-frontsies like at Snow Patrol. What's with really tall people (MOSTLY GUYS) walking up and standing in front of a bunch of people (mostly women) who are pushing 5'4? What the dill? Stand at the sides like gentlemen you friggin' trees!
Ahem - thanks again Michie - it was awesome!!!
Hey There,
It's me, the photographer of the Ill Scarlett shot. I found your link to me just today when I was logging into Wordpress. Thanks so much for the compliment and the link back to my site.
I must admit. I have some pretty good equipment and I also have pretty good access to shows at certain venues in town if I want them. I mostly shoot local bands but when some of the touring ones head to the University I'm able to get in there to shoot with no restrictions etc.
Now speaking of having your gear confiscated I almost had all of my gear confiscated when I went to a Green Bay Packer game last November (about $5000 worth of stuff). Luckily I dropped a lot off at a gas station across the street to hold it for me and I was able to bring my camera and some lenses in without a bag. It was definitely a scary moment for a bit.
But thanks for the link/compliment again. How'd you find me? the picture?
Hey CO, you have the BEST job in the whole world!!! I found the photo when I was searching illScarlett. I can't remember if I was searching Google Images or just a regular search. I loved all the iS photos you took, they were amazing. So you take over 300? Wow. It would be fun to help pick out of those though. Hey did you see my Killers pic?
http://squiishie.blogspot.com/2007/05/killers-killed.html
I know it's not professional quality, but I was happy.
Anyways, thanks for stopping by! Nice work. Do you sell the photos after or is it more of a hobby?
And Jensies, you're always welcome! Just tell me you're coming to the Mad Caddies!!!
Hi Michie,
It's not techincally my "job" although I'd love for it to be. I haven't sold any photos yet but have had two featured in an art show locally and had High Holy Days use some of my shots as their promo pics for about a 6 mth span. On top of that some local guys have used some of my shots for their CD jackets etc which feels good but still no money.
I have plans for publishing a "rock" photo book of all the local musicians that I cover but the costs are quite high and I'm not sure what the demand would be etc.
Saw the shot of Brandon from the Killers. It's a good pic for what you had available. You filled the frame perfectly and captured the moment. I think that's the hardest thing for people to learn. Fill the frame, tight crop the subject and just shoot. You don't want a lot of background noise in the field etc.
Keep it up.
Also if you have a professionalish camera (DSLR etc) you can always try to contact the promoter putting on one of the shows saying you are either 1. putting a local magazine together, 2. trying to get into band photography and would love the opportunity to shoot the show, 3. are part of the band's fan club and doing a story on the band and would like to shoot them. You never know what they might say. If they have press passes available you might get in.
For major shows where you need a press pass as such you will probably only have access to the front of the stage for the first 3 songs so you need to work quick. You may also have to leave the show after that little bit so check it out with the promoter and you may have to buy your own ticket for the rest of the show. It's always worth the shot though.
Good luck.
Excellent. Thanks for the advice Curt! I don't have a professional camera, it's a Canon Powershot S3IS. I'm loving it though. The next step will be a DSLR. Then I'd really need a press pass because they definitely won't let me bring one of those into the show!
Thanks for commenting, it was great to hear from you. And good luck to you on actually getting paid for your work;)
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