Wizards In Winter

[garnerfoto]

Friday night the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (http://www.trans-siberian.com) passed through the great Salt Lake City. I was the lucky photographer invited to shoot their performance. Due to their concern of their paying patrons having an unobstructed view, all photography takes place from the sound mix board located some 150-175 feet from the stage.

I rented a 300/2.8 and took Dwights advise and got the 1.4 TC as well. I mounted this on my tripod with 20D. On my DReb I used the 50/1.8.


The wide view with the 50/1.8

1
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_19.jpg

2
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_18.jpg

A little closer with the 300/2.8 + 1.4TC effective 420mm/f4

3
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_15.jpg

4
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_01.jpg

5
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_06.jpg

6
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_10.jpg

7
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_12.jpg

8
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_11.jpg

[Keiffer]

Very nice shots and I like their music:-)

[DwightMcCann]

Keiffer, you need to set the option for editing allowed in the User CP area.

Tom, marvelous pictures although they seem to go overboard on the smoke. Are there more on your website?

[BottomBracket]

Wow, that second one ois most unusual. Great pics!

[garnerfoto]

Thanks for the nice comments my friends.

Dwight, yes they do go a little overboard with the smoke. Makes me wonder if the pics would be a little sharper without it. Currently my website is undergoing a major reconstruction, no new updates will be posted to it.

[Metalphotographer]

Great shots, first song only? I guess you would definitely need the tripod with that tank of a lens! Did they play anything new or was it the same show as every year? I didn't shoot them this year but did the past few, last year was the first time they started making people shoot from the front of the house and I wasn't prepared for that, ended up shooting with the EF-S 17-85 handheld. I did come out with some OK pics (closer ones with a little cropping). http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/live/tso122604/index.shtml

[garnerfoto]

Thanks Chris. I was given first and third songs, but the lighting was mostly backlight the first song so the decent shots came from third song.

This was my first time at a TSO show so I'm a little unsure of same show as every year. They opened with Wizards in Winter and then proceeded through the Lost Christmas Eve and Other Stories.
They then played various numbers from the other albums including Beethoven and I believe even a new number. I was so in awe of the light and pyro show that it is kinda hard to recall what all went on.

I was given the heads up about shooting from 'Front of House' by my editor. He had a team cover the tour last year with the same surprise you had.

A couple more.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_13.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c108/thomasgarner/TSO/TSO_17.jpg

[Jasonzns]

Those are Schweet pics. Where do you rent Lenses? And how much did it cost? I can never afford a 1000 dollar lens and would rarely use it. Renting seems like the way to go.

Thanks

[JayKitty]

wow awesome shots. #3 is my favorite!

[garnerfoto]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad others enjoy seeing these.

I rented the lens and TC from the only real camera shop in town, Pictureline (http://www.pictureline.com/). The 300/2.8 rents for $50 and the TC rents for $15. Rental period is one day, 10 AM till 9 AM. Deposit of cash or CC required.
... I can never afford a 1000 dollar lens and would rarely use it. Renting seems like the way to go.
If only the 300/2.8 were a 1000 dollar lens. I'd have one already. This baby retails for some 4000 give or take, depending where you get it. Which reminds me of a little conversation I had the following night at a local gig. An unnamed musician and I were talking about this whole rental deal and he piped in with "so it's like 5 or 600 bucks?" He about messed his drawers when I told him what it cost.