My Favorite Images: Derek Trucks

I was going through photos I took this summer. While doing so, I ran across this image of Derek Trucks who was performing at the Newport Jazz Festival. I'm a big fan of close-up shots of hands playing instruments.  It's one of those shots that I always try to capture.  Sadly, they don't always turn out the way I envision them in my head.  This one, however, did.

My Favorite Images: Avishai & Anat Cohen

My camera and I were hanging out at the Newport Jazz Festival taking in the sights and sounds.  The festival takes place at Fort Adams State Park and, one of my favorite places to photograph from is the windows of the fort right behind the main stage.  I was looking out the window and noticed Avishai Cohen and sister Anat Cohen who had stepped back while brother Yuval Cohen and their band jammed.  Anat was snapping her fingers and swaying her head to the music while Avishai was temporally stoic.  I think it's a cute image and a snapshot that has landed on my list of favorite images.

 

My Favorite Images: Charles Bradley

I love when entertainers put on a show.  I love hearing good music but when there is performance to go along with it, it often takes things to another level.  For those who have seen Charles Bradley live then you know that he puts on a show.  He poses, he bird flaps, he throws himself on his knees and he makes costume changes.  If you haven't seen him live, then you should.  Bradley makes for good photos and I knew I wanted my images of him to be in black & white.  I felt that black & white would add to the dramatic nature I was trying to capture.

Performing at the 2012 Newport Folk Festival

Performing at the 2012 Newport Folk Festival

Concert Photography: The Wild Deer

Sometimes when you're taking photos, things don't turn out exactly the way you want them too. With concert photography you have to deal with changing and or bad lighting, moving musicians and being bumped into by fellow audience members.  And, sometimes you just have a bad night. The below photo covers all of that!  Yet, I like it.  Let's just call it an "anti-focus" shot ... sounds more artistic and makes my ego feel better!

Matt Kelly of The Wild Deer (more photos HERE)

My Favorite Images: Guitar Rig

This is one of those images I like "just because."  

I rock, I fix, I drink

The Pipe Organ

I like photographing music instruments.  When I see an instrument at a concert just sitting there all alone, waiting for its person to play it, I always take a photo of it.  I have several photos of guitars, keyboards, pianos and drums in my collection. Normally, I don't have occasion to photograph instruments if I'm not at a concert venue.  

I was going through my photos, re-visiting my work, re-editing and in some cases, editing images for the first time.  I'm sure I'm not alone in picking out what I deem my best at the moment, editing those and filing the rest away to be re-discovered at a later date.  It was in the mist of those filed away images that I came across this photo of a pipe organ that I photographed.  I fiddled around with it and this is the result.

My Favorite Images: Delta Spirit

Matt Vasquez of Delta Spirit at the Newport Folk Festival, July 30, 2011
(More Photos HERE) 

Some photographs you just like.  There isn't some profound reason as to why you like it; you just like it.  I look at this image and just like it.  Matt Vasquez led Delta Spirit through one hell of a set at the Newport Folk Festival this year.  "THE PEOPLE," who flocked to the Quad Stage to see the band, showed them insane amounts of love.   

Vasquez is an expressive and energetic performer.  So, I suppose it could be considered odd that of all of the photos I took of him during his Delta Spirit set, and his performance the following day with his other band Middle Brother, that this would end up being my favorite.  Hey, I'm quirky that way!

My Favorite Images: Ambrose Akinmusire

Ambrose Akinmusire at the Newport Jazz Festival, August 6, 2011

I spent this past Saturday roaming around Fort Adams State Park taking in the sounds of the Newport Jazz Festival.  Of course I had my camera!  I wondered over to the Harbor Stage to catch some of Ambrose Akinmusire's set.  I knew before I took the photo, that even though I was taking it in color, it would be a black and white photo.  Some images you just like.  This is one of those that I quite simply, just like.

 

My Favorite Images: Brown Bird

David Lamb of Brown Bird at the Newport Folk Festival

This past Sunday, I was at the Newport Folk Festival.  One of the bands performing that day was Brown Bird.  I was sitting on my knees, on the hard dirt that was sprinkled with worn patches of dried grass, in front of the stage, listening to their warm blend of spirited stomp and clap music while trying to capture a few photos of them.  As I sat there, I was drawn to David Lamb's hand while he was playing the banjo.  My inner voice kept telling me I needed to get a shot of his hand.  I pondered what my inner voice was telling me before realizing why the urge was incessant.  What was that realization?  His hand was three letters short of displaying the word that Brown Bird made their audience feel, welcome.   

Central Park: The Beauty Of Trees

Earlier this year, I was in Central Park with my camera.  Spring buds were blooming, the weather was perfect ... not too cold, not to hot.  I had spent a good portion of my time photographing flowers.  But, there were a few trees that caught my eyes.  From a vantage point across the park, I saw a line of beautiful flowering trees.  I made my way to were they were and went about trying to capture them.  As I made my way around a curve to capture them from another angle, I noticed people in one of the trees.  I found it fascinating that the branches left a gap where the person were standing.  The tree quite simply looked like a living picture frame and thus reason this image is one of my favorites.

I find something very beautiful about bare trees.  Their limbs tend to take on the the look of long beautiful arms preparing to do a Woodstock era hippie dance.  I'm also fascinated by tree grids.  Without their blooms and leaves the lines can be seen unhindered ... the trees all lined up and perfectly spaced.  Of course, the lines are beautiful with leaves as well.  I just don't see the same dancing imagery.  I know, it's a weird thing to be fascinated by but, to see these grids at work in large areas is magnificent to me. 

Models: Experiments With Selective Color

Early last month, I participated in another workshop involving models.  This time out, instead of designer clothes, it was a lingerie.  I'm still horrible at directing models but the two young ladies that modeled for us were so fun and easy to work with that even a horrible director such as myself could manage some halfway decent work.

One of the models reminded me of an old school pin-up model.  The minute I saw her and the pieces she was wearing, I knew that most of her photos would likely end up in black and white.  I've been slowly but surely editing the photos and I was correct, most of her images have ended up in black and white.  But, I've been having fun experimenting as well.  I share with you today, my experiments with selective coloring.

The above image was my first attempt at using selective coloring.  I also think it's my best attempt to date.  This has turned out to be one of my favorite images.  When I took the photo, I remember commenting to a fellow photographer that I felt awkward standing over her to get the shot.  Maybe it's just me, but, it feels weird standing over someone while they're lying on the floor.  Awkwardness aside, I think the shot turned out nicely if I do say so myself.

My original desire for the above photo was for her lips and the space in front of her to remain red while the space behind her was left without color.  At some point during my experimenting, I decided I liked the look of the red bleeding through in back of her.  It just dawned on me that I never did an edit carrying out my original plan for the image.

  

Above, I've left the background color while taking the color from the model.  Something about the finished image makes it look like she has been inserted into the photo. 

Concert Photography: Terror In A Western Town

Wednesday night, I was down on the LES at Pianos.  One of the bands on the line-up for the evening was Terror In A Western Town.  I'd never heard of them so I hadn't a clue as to what they would sound like.  I learned that they were good!  Leader Matt Witte is tattooed and my camera was drawn to his arm.  Normally, I don't pay much attention to tattoos when I'm photographing concerts.  But for some reason, my eye kept finding my way back to that sleeve.  A part of me wanted to get on the stage and capture it up-close.  So, from my position in front of the stage, I proceeded to attempt to capture his arm, just his arm.  This is my result.

 

Matt Witte of Terror In A Western Town

(more photos HERE)

 

My Favorite Images: Kenny Aaronson

Kenny Aaronson (bassist/producer)

Earlier this week I went to a show showcasing New York women that rock.  Aaronson was playing with rocker Lisa Bianco that night.  I suppose there's some irony in the fact that my favorite photo of a night showcasing women is of a man.  That's not a slight to the ladies though.  I got some rather nice shots of them as well.

Aaronson was over in the corner.  It's one of those situations where if the person were to move forward, back, left or right by even a little bit means the difference between pitch dark or "hey look-a-there, it's light!"  I started off the evening on the side of the stage he was playing on but front-woman Bianco was on the opposite side of the stage, not in the middle where singers and front people tend to stand.  So, I migrated. 

It was when I moved to the other side of the stage that I immediately saw what I wanted image wise with Aaronson.  I tried not to put too much thought into it.  But, I did have to have a little patience which is something I don't have a lot of.  I had to wait for Aaronson and the lighting to fall into sync.  I continued to take photos of everyone onstage while keeping an eye on Aaronson when gut feeling told me to be ready to take the shot.

I'm happy to say, it came out just as I saw it in my head. 

My Favorite Images: Arden Leigh

Arden Leigh (model/dancer)

This photo is one of my favorites because of its simplicity.  I originally shot this one in color but the simplicity of it demanded that I make it black and white.  Interestingly enough, this was taken at a burlesque show.  Leigh was fun to photograph and provided several simple but incredibly beautiful photos.  They say less is more (minds out of the gutter!) and in her case, it was true.

My Favorite Images: The On Fires

Max Harman and Marty Xennoff of The On Fires

The On Fires were fun to photograph.  Harman with her head of flaming hair was in constant motion.  I feared all of my shots of her would be blurred.  Well, not only did I manage to get photos of her that weren't blurred, I managed to get a mid jump photo of her and bandmate Xennoff.  This is kind of big deal for me.  Whenever artists do jumps onstage, I either miss them completely or they're total blurs.  

My Favorite Images: Amy Gore

 

Amy Gore of Gorevette

Gore is one of those cool rock chicks.  She just has that look.  While I don't dislike color concert photos, I don't generally get all giddy over them in the same way I do b&w images.  This shot however, is one of the exceptions.  The lights, the way the shadows fall across her upper body, her stance ... it all just works for me.

My Favorite Images: Allison Robertson

Some of "My Favorite Images" will be included on the "My Personal Favorites" page.

Allison Robertson of The Donnas

Robertson was hard to capture.  It was her hair that gave me a hard time when trying to capture her.  It was either in her face or a whirling blur, total rock 'n' roll.  Upon first glance at this photo, I thought it was going to land in the "don't use" folder.  But, much to my delight, it turned out well.  Even better, it works perfectly in b&w which is generally my concert photo preference.