Sugarland in Concert at the Maverick Saloon, July 1, 2004

[DwightMcCann]

Sugarland, a rising star among young country groups, often seen on CMT and other country media, hit the Nashville to You Radio Acoustic Tour before their first CD was released. In fact, somewhere I have a pre-release version with its homemade looking cover. They were the first Nashville to You group that I was really impressed by and felt that they would someday be a big winner. I tried to interest them in my images, but they apparently teamed up early on with a teenage girl who has some photographic talent, although I imagine by now that their own PR gig is managed by their record contract! So, here's Sugarland:

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/Sugarland/SL500/Sugarland3533-500.JPG

Below is Jennifer Nettles, the lead vocalist, signing autographs with a bottle of wine from my vineyard and winery client, Casa Cassara!
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/Sugarland/SL500/Sugarland3643-500.jpg

Here's Christian Bush, amazing string player:
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/Sugarland/SL500/Sugarland3409-500.jpg

And more of Jennifer:
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/Sugarland/SL500/Sugarland3578-500.jpg

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/Sugarland/SL500/Sugarland3385-500.JPG

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/Sugarland/SL500/Sugarland3552-500.JPG

And last, but not least, Kristen Hall, who wrote most of the Sugarland material and who I am given to believe just very recently has left the group to have more time for her family ... it's hard to be a soccer Mom and on the road over half the year.
http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/Sugarland/SL500/SugarlandKristenHall3483-500.JPG

As always, comment, critique, copy and edit. I have another concert of Sugarland later in the series so keep your eyes peeled! :-)

[queenbee288]

These are great shots! I can't believe there are not comments. What were your setting and lens used.

[Mills]

More good work Dwight. The second to last is my favorite. The lighting and motion blur of her arms make it especially interesting.

[DwightMcCann]

Queenbee, thank you. Very few here ever heard of Sugarland, yet, I am sure. And I only heard recently that Kristen has dropped out of the group. I'm not sure what Jennifer and Christian are doing as I don't follow country music even though I photograph it. These were shot with a Fuji S2 Pro and Nikkor lenses and I don't have the EXIF handy, but probably with a 80-200mm f/2.8.

Mills, thanks.

[TeeJay]

More fabulous pictures Dwight. It never ceases to amaze me the clarity that you get in your shots - especially with the lighting that you often have to contend with!

[DwightMcCann]

TeeJay, I cheat! Instead of shooting ten or fifteen frames, I shoot hundreds! I shot The Spinners at the casino Saturday night (pictures in the pipeline) and shot 1064 frames which will condense down to 20 or so! I often use a tripod. I use IS lenses (and Nikkor VR lenses before that.) I bracket. I use the best glass in the world. At the Maverick I can do anything and go anywhere, but I have found that shooting from the audience is optimal ... I have been known to sit in laps of the front row patrons or take empty seats at front row tables when the patrons use the indoor plumbing. I am fearless.

[René Damkot]

Nice as usual... But: What is the bluish hue to the BG / top of the image on #4 and #6?

[DwightMcCann]

Rene, a very bright neon Michelob Beer sign that shines right into the stage, where the effect can be seen more clearly in this image of Scotty Emerick:

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ScottyEmerick/SE500/ScottyEmerick2212-500.JPG

and in this image of Cledus T. Judd where I was shooting way to the side:

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/CledusTJudd/CJ500/CledusTJudd5367-500.JPG

[René Damkot]

In the Netherlands there is a saying: "Drank maakt meer kapot dan je lief is" ('Drink ruins more than you('ld) like' roughly translated) Seems appropriate here :D

[DwightMcCann]

Rene, and here I thought that the blue light added a bit of interest. :-) I could use a beer right now, sigh, but I am at work (perhaps because I am at work!)

[taygull]

Great Band, Great Shots, man I got tired of saying that on your post!

[DwightMcCann]

Tay, do you have any idea how often people complain that they always have to say nice things about my images? It is relentless! I'm thinking about only posting my outtakes if this keeps up. Just take your praise, cut & paste it into a plain text file somewhere and when you start looking at my images, open the file, cut & paste into the Quick Reply pane and hit Post Quick Reply. Or, you can wait until Rene share his observations and finds the crap I missed and then cut & paste his comments ... although he may take exception to that! :-)

Oh, wait, wait, perhaps I misunderstood ... was that simply a left-handed compliment?:rolleyes:

[TeeJay]

TeeJay, I cheat! Instead of shooting ten or fifteen frames, I shoot hundreds! I shot The Spinners at the casino Saturday night (pictures in the pipeline) and shot 1064 frames which will condense down to 20 or so! I often use a tripod. I use IS lenses (and Nikkor VR lenses before that.) I bracket. I use the best glass in the world. At the Maverick I can do anything and go anywhere, but I have found that shooting from the audience is optimal ... I have been known to sit in laps of the front row patrons or take empty seats at front row tables when the patrons use the indoor plumbing. I am fearless.

Good grief Dwight, 1064 frames? - I though I took a lot at around 650 or so!

[DwightMcCann]

TeeJay, well, I did it across about 90 minutes! And I bracket three frames at a time, so it is almost like I only shoot 350 frames. :-)

[dzstudios]

TeeJay, I cheat! Instead of shooting ten or fifteen frames, I shoot hundreds! I shot The Spinners at the casino Saturday night (pictures in the pipeline) and shot 1064 frames which will condense down to 20 or so!

... I have been known to sit in laps of the front row patrons or take empty seats at front row tables when the patrons use the indoor plumbing. I am fearless.


You warm the cockles of my heart! :D

However, until the end of april (new financial year), I'm going to ignore your comments about lenses and pretend you never said it..... we dont want to encourage HIM. ;)

[DwightMcCann]

I thought I had already straightened this issue out! HE certainly shouldn't be exposed to working with less than I have and for this equipment budget year I have already been forced to acquire a 1D Mark IIN and have planned a 400mm f/2.8 which is obviously an absolute necessity! But he needs to upgrade that 70-200mm f/4 to f/2.8 first, of course. After that you can scrimp and save for the future. [Please note: I drive a pickup truck and do not own a plasma or other HDTV device, do NOT have a boat or airplane or second home or vacation home and don't belong to "the Club" (I just joined the YMCA), do not ski or golf ... this leaves most money available for important things!]

[QUASIPHOTO]

Geez Lousie.......these are freakin amazing. Dang you are a master!!!

[DwightMcCann]

Quasi, I am always impressed by your discerning eye!:lol:

[taygull]

Hey Yoda (Dwight), how many of these did you use flash on? I sure wish you would post some of the data with your pics. It makes it easier to copy your work.

I was "hired", by one of the local venues to be the house photographer. The pay is cheap, but I will get to build a portfolio and pic who I want to shoot. I will have to do some shoots that they venue requires but those are the bigger regional names I'd shoot anyway. I'll also offer the end result to the band for a fair price.

Now I just have to learn how to do your collogue thing!

[DwightMcCann]

Tay, that's great. Oh, crap, yes, the collage thing ... I've been up to my ass in alligators ... I have screen shots and just need to create a tutorial, but time is hard to come by.

[taygull]

Tay, that's great. Oh, crap, yes, the collage thing ... I've been up to my ass in alligators ... I have screen shots and just need to create a tutorial, but time is hard to come by.

How hard do you think it will be to duplicate it in PS? I know you've never used it but I would think the actions would be close to the same.

My thoughts are you would make your "canvass" the final output size and then just make your images a smaller size that balances the canvass. I'm sure I'm way off!

I'd also love if you could email me several samples that I could print...I'd like to show them to a few artist.

Thanks...YODA!

[Steve Parr]

TeeJay, well, I did it across about 90 minutes! And I bracket three frames at a time, so it is almost like I only shoot 350 frames. :-)

I normally shoot between 300 and 500 shots, depending on the number of people in the band, lighting, stage show, etc. I should probably bracket, but I don't...

[MDJAK]

Dwight,

I'm not going to comment on the photos in this instance. Your outstanding work needs no comment.

I am going to say, however, that my family and I love Sugarland. We were disappointed when we learned that Kristen Hall intends to leave the group. We listen to them all the time.

I'm sending my wife a link to this post. She'll love it too.

Thanks again
mark

[DwightMcCann]

Tay, what is that you would like exactly to show your artist friends?

Mark, yes, they are excellent and I love Jennifer (although her husband does, too.) BTW, there are at least two sets of Sugarland images on my website from two separate tours.

[taygull]

I'd like to show them a couple of your collage pics.

[DwightMcCann]

Are the ones on my website (linked into posts here) not big enough? Like me know specifically what you'd like.

[saravrose]

I actually have their c.d. in my car right now... great shots. they really are a nice band..

sari.

[DwightMcCann]

Sari, thanks! Yes, and they are very nice people to boot!

[Jacobredphoto]

I'm bringing this thread back to life, haha. I'm jealous of you Dwight, who have you NOT shot yet, I love Sugarland, I can't believe how much younger they look here. Whatever happened to the last girl in the first set of pictures? Beautiful shots as always.

[DwightMcCann]

I'm bringing this thread back to life, haha. I'm jealous of you Dwight, who have you NOT shot yet, I love Sugarland, I can't believe how much younger they look here. Whatever happened to the last girl in the first set of pictures? Beautiful shots as always.
Kristen left the group to go back to being a Soccer Mom and wound up suing the other two because they stopped sharing revenue with her. I have no idea how it worked out or even if it's over. I haven't shot any Death Metal bands! :-)

[johnstoy]

Jen Nettles is cute.

[DwightMcCann]

Jen Nettles is cute.
Yes, but I believe she divorced her husband, the owner of a couple of bars in Nashville where used to sing. I really liked her the couple times I met her and chatted. I expect life on the road and celebrity is very hard on a marriage.

[johnstoy]

Living in those coaches, while traveling from show, after show, after show, must get claustrophobic... Even flying to the events, and staying in hotels is desensitizing...

I spend many months per year in hotels for decades...

There is nothing like being home in one's permanent residence, without that pressure of the road.