live musical concerts
SHOW BUSINESS
The problems that I have enumerated with Fashion Shows and Sporting Events are present for show biz but with steroids. The problem is primarily with “access”, whereas it is easier to get a pass or get a reasonable “good” seat for a fashion show or a sporting event if you were unable to get a photographer’s pass, such is not the case with musical concerts.
At the beginning of this website, I gave you a hot link which outlines the various ways to get passes for photographing concerts. You can also apply through an agency, send an e-mail to the press contact, to the show promoter or directly to a media outlet.
The problems that I have enumerated with Fashion Shows and Sporting Events are present for show biz but with steroids. The problem is primarily with “access”, whereas it is easier to get a pass or get a reasonable “good” seat for a fashion show or a sporting event if you were unable to get a photographer’s pass, such is not the case with musical concerts.
At the beginning of this website, I gave you a hot link which outlines the various ways to get passes for photographing concerts. You can also apply through an agency, send an e-mail to the press contact, to the show promoter or directly to a media outlet.
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It has been my experience that unless you have an “inside contact,” those photo passes are hard to come by. In many cases it depends on the venue. For instance, when Kris Kristofferson (to the left) performed at the Francis Marion College in Florence, SC no passes were necessary nor were “guards” accosting you.
If you are a guest at a special event, as I was at the opening of the Georgia World Congress Center, when Natalie Cole (above) performed, then life is much easier as a photographer. |
Luck plays a small part, by being at the right place, at the right time; but don’t bank on it.
Such was the case to capture the images of Elvis Presley which appear below. I was in Atlanta on a Saturday afternoon to attend a Canon Photography Seminar on Sunday. For that reason I had with me a Canon AE-1 with a Sigma 135mm, f1.8 lens!!! I accidentally ran into a business associate who had some spare tickets for the event. (No press pass – just seats with all other attendees.) – But I did a lot of roaming around! However, my lens gave a “reasonable” chance to get close as you can see below:
Such was the case to capture the images of Elvis Presley which appear below. I was in Atlanta on a Saturday afternoon to attend a Canon Photography Seminar on Sunday. For that reason I had with me a Canon AE-1 with a Sigma 135mm, f1.8 lens!!! I accidentally ran into a business associate who had some spare tickets for the event. (No press pass – just seats with all other attendees.) – But I did a lot of roaming around! However, my lens gave a “reasonable” chance to get close as you can see below:
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Not much reach, but great for the exposure required for the available lighting conditions at the Omni.
A fellow employee at Bobbin Publications, Donald Jennings, was a show promoter, and was very helpful in getting me started photographing live show concerts. He either handed me photo passes for the shows that he was bringing in to the Carolina Coliseum and if it not one of his shows, he would introduce me to “the right people.”
Below are some of the ones that I photographed. Mind you, this is pre-digital area. I was familiar with the Carolina Coliseum because from 1970 until 1988, I photographed basketball for the USC gamecocks at the Carolina Coliseum and you have seen some of my images in the previous section. I also, for that same period of time, photographed the football program and again, some of the football images appear in the previous section.
To the left is Andy Williams.
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At left above is Barry Manilow wearing # 38, which was George Rogers number when selected the Heisman Trophy winner at USC. To the right is Kenny Rogers. This just as good a place as any to point out that Kenny Rogers is an outstanding photographer. Try to pick up his book “Your Friends and Mine” and you will see excellent photography.
Tom Jones is at the left. NOTE: Don’t think that because you have a Photographer’s pass you are free from harassment by the venue’s guards, particularly if you stay too long in one particular spot. You have to move around, which you would do in any case. When photographing in situations shown here, evaluative meter reading will give you the wrong exposure. It is necessary to use spot metering, which reads only 8% of the frame and you should aim right at the subject’s chest. This prevents all the background darkness to influence the camera, telling the lens to “open up” thereby rendering a washed out image |
This applies to the images of Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers, Tom Jones above and to Patti Austin to the left. This is Phil Collins to the right photographed at Chastain Park in Atlanta, GA. Although it was an outdoor concert, it was held at night, therefore the same exposure considerations apply. |
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This is a perfect example of a scene being bombarded with many different color spotlights during this Stevie Wonder concert. The best that you can do is to choose one subject, in this case Stevie Wonder, and try to strike at a pleasant skin tone. Let the others surrounding him display whatever colors fall on them, giving the scene a party look after all.
This another case of the pre-digital era, so this color skin tone refers to what can be achieved with post processing. I rely on Photoshop ©Cloud to adjust the skin tones by going to Image/Adjustments/Hue-Saturations and work with the offending color channel.
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The Quebec restaurant in the far left was all lit with red lights. That's the ambiance that they wanted to create. I chose not to use any corrective filters or try to "fix" it in post processing because it would have destroyed what they wanted to create. Instead, I screwed a cross star burst filter in front of the lens to try to "create" some interest in the image. This filter is commonly used in the TV industry. In my case, the problem was that for the filter to be effective, it requires a small lens opening - in a place that is too dark to begin with. So I had to push the ISO very high to be able to get a distinctive image.
For the Arizona cactus in the near left, I used both a red and a cross star burst filter to create the effect that you see. |
I am particularly proud of this B&W image because it is “one-of-a-kind.” This is Ella Fitzgerald performing at the Venetian Room of the Dallas Fairmont hotel. It fits in with this paper for two reasons: it emphasizes the need to always carry your camera with you, and secondly – to be persistent.
This was the very first time that Ella appeared in public performing with prescription glasses! If I had not had my camera with me and had I not been persuasive (Ella was quite conscious of her eye glasses) with her agent to allow me to photograph the show, this image would not have existed.
Photographing performers outdoors is always easy because no special passes nor special camera setting are required. The key is to always be prepared because you never know when you are going to need your camera. This guitarist below left was performing in an open air festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
It’s always nice to be generous with your tip if you are going to take several pictures.
This solo saxophonist below right was performing for the public in the streets of Quebec, Canada and did not mind being photographed. As a matter of fact, he expected it and was quite nice about it.
It’s always nice to be generous with your tip if you are going to take several pictures.
This solo saxophonist below right was performing for the public in the streets of Quebec, Canada and did not mind being photographed. As a matter of fact, he expected it and was quite nice about it.
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Another place where you can photograph live music without passes or permits is at dinner theaters. Every Monday night at the Yerba Buena restaurant in the Condado section of San Juan, Puerto Rico this group that I photographed below plays strictly Latin Jazz. What is unique about this group is that every musician plays for the Puerto Rican Philharmonic Orchestra!
I was a guest of the distributor of Heineken in PR, who sponsors the Annual Heineken Jazz festival, similar to the Newport Jazz Festival in the states.
I created this montage below from my first visit to Yerba Buena.
I was a guest of the distributor of Heineken in PR, who sponsors the Annual Heineken Jazz festival, similar to the Newport Jazz Festival in the states.
I created this montage below from my first visit to Yerba Buena.
This one to the left is from my second visit to Yerba Buena. I gave the first montage to my sponsor. Some of the musicians bought the montages, which I had dry mounted on foam core.
The musicians and restaurant owner knew that I was a guest of the sponsor. That gave more freedom to move around to take the type of images that a photojournalist takes: distant, wide angle; closer mid-range and very close tight shots.
The two visits were a year apart. I was allowed to use flash in both visits. For the distant, wide angle views, I used 1/60 seconds, hand held, f 5.6 and a 1800 ISO.
In the Carlos Gardel dinner theater in Buenos Aires, I decided to experiment after I had selected the right aperture/speed/ISO combination to get a good image. In the photo below to the left is an image properly exposed for the prevailing lighting conditions.
Then to the right, I chose a slow shutter speed (1/30 sec in the Shutter preferred mode so that the camera would calculate the right ISO and aperture for me) to create the abstract effect that you see below. No tripod, I just leaned against a column for stability. My lens also had the VC (Vibration Control feature.) My point is that sometimes you can violate the "right" exposure parameters to achieve "other" desired results.
Then to the right, I chose a slow shutter speed (1/30 sec in the Shutter preferred mode so that the camera would calculate the right ISO and aperture for me) to create the abstract effect that you see below. No tripod, I just leaned against a column for stability. My lens also had the VC (Vibration Control feature.) My point is that sometimes you can violate the "right" exposure parameters to achieve "other" desired results.
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I want to conclude this section with my two of my favorite jazz icons: Stan Kenton (1911-1979) and Dave Brubeck (1920-2012.)
It wasn’t long before I heard Stan Kenton’s music, that I had a chance to photograph him in concert. I was living in Pottsville, PA and he would be playing at Albright College in Reading, PA.
He was an extraordinary arranger, a prodigious composer, and a great band leader. His theme song was “Artistry in Rhythm” I have already reserved a domain for my next website: “Artistry in Pixels.” I created a video with that name using his theme song as background music.
Notice that he signed for me his PR photo, but that was not good enough for me. I would take prints of the ones shot at Albright College to the next concert and have him autograph it, which he did.
It wasn’t long before I heard Stan Kenton’s music, that I had a chance to photograph him in concert. I was living in Pottsville, PA and he would be playing at Albright College in Reading, PA.
He was an extraordinary arranger, a prodigious composer, and a great band leader. His theme song was “Artistry in Rhythm” I have already reserved a domain for my next website: “Artistry in Pixels.” I created a video with that name using his theme song as background music.
Notice that he signed for me his PR photo, but that was not good enough for me. I would take prints of the ones shot at Albright College to the next concert and have him autograph it, which he did.
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When following a particular artist that you have interest in photographing, it is important that he at least understands that you like his music and appreciate his talent. He becomes more accessible. As I wrote at the outset, you have to play with the hand that you are dealt. The stage, for most of Stan Kenton’s concerts were dimly lit. Even the color image from a High Speed Ektachrome film, does not yield much color. Just as well, I’ll treat it as a study in shadows. |
As far as accessibility, so was the case with Dave Brubeck, that is, letting him understand that I enjoyed his music as much as I enjoyed my photography. The first time that I saw him, he was performing in person at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. The lighting at the auditorium was so poor that I asked him, knowing what the answer would be, if I could use my flash. As expected, his answer was a no.
But we had a chance to chat some more before the event, and he not only changed his mind and allowed me to use flash, but he also invited me to return backstage to photograph his family (his son Darius’s quintet) was also performing. This was the beginning of 40 years of photographic coverage!
These two images were scanned from a B&W contact sheet that I was able to find years later. Darius and his wife are to the right.
But we had a chance to chat some more before the event, and he not only changed his mind and allowed me to use flash, but he also invited me to return backstage to photograph his family (his son Darius’s quintet) was also performing. This was the beginning of 40 years of photographic coverage!
These two images were scanned from a B&W contact sheet that I was able to find years later. Darius and his wife are to the right.
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I used Kodak Tri X film and since I was able to use flash, there was no need for me to “push” beyond 400 ASA. (Today, referred to as ISO.)
During the shooting at intermission, Dave Brubeck asked me to send him the contact sheet to his home in CT and the invoice to his press agent in San Francisco.
Dave chose one image that he liked from the contact sheet and I got paid promptly.
And that’s the last time that I heard about this until two years later, when visiting NY City, my wife found the image that he chose, printed in the Where magazine at the hotel counter promoting his appearance in concert. (Lower right hand of the page.)
During the shooting at intermission, Dave Brubeck asked me to send him the contact sheet to his home in CT and the invoice to his press agent in San Francisco.
Dave chose one image that he liked from the contact sheet and I got paid promptly.
And that’s the last time that I heard about this until two years later, when visiting NY City, my wife found the image that he chose, printed in the Where magazine at the hotel counter promoting his appearance in concert. (Lower right hand of the page.)
So, the next time that I saw Dave in concert was at the Township Auditorium, in Columbia, SC in the 80’s when I took to him the uncropped photo so that he would sign it for me. (As you can see below.)
During that concert I took several photos, some with Tri X and some with High Speed Extachrome. Having access to backstage, I was able to use flash. Below are a couple of the images. You can tell that I used flash by the shadow behind his head.
During that concert I took several photos, some with Tri X and some with High Speed Extachrome. Having access to backstage, I was able to use flash. Below are a couple of the images. You can tell that I used flash by the shadow behind his head.
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The next time that I photographed Dave was at the Newberry Opera House in Newberry, SC in February 2005. We renewed our acquaintance then. On this occasion, it had been easier to get a photo pass because by this time, his agent had seen the work that I had done previously.
Here are some more challenging shots. Dave would not allow flash, his ailing eyesight would not even allow the stage lights to go beyond 60% of their capacity.
I had to shoot from backstage with my Canon 50 mm, f1.8 lens. However, now in the digital era, my Canon EOS 60D with 50 mm lens in the APS-C format was equivalent to an 80 mm lens. I shot this one at 1/50 second f2.0, and 1600 ISO.
I had to shoot from backstage with my Canon 50 mm, f1.8 lens. However, now in the digital era, my Canon EOS 60D with 50 mm lens in the APS-C format was equivalent to an 80 mm lens. I shot this one at 1/50 second f2.0, and 1600 ISO.
Dave asked me to photograph his quartet at intermission. Luckily, there were no flash restrictions in the dressing room. They are to the left.
When I photographed Dave in Dallas for the first time, some 40 years ago, I didn’t know that he was in concert in Dallas. I had a seminar to go to there, but the camera was always next to me, as I urge you to do the same.
I sincerely hope that you found in this section some useful hints that you can put to good use.