Brooks & Dunn in Concert, February 24th, 2006

[DwightMcCann]

For those of you who get a little tense before shooting an event let me share that I am shooting a boxing match at my casino venue and I am nervous as a cat. I've shot maybe 60 events there with this being my fifth boxing match. It never gets any calmer for me before a shoot! I don't think I am going to be sick, but I definitely have the rumbles. :rolleyes:

So, I shot Brooks & Dunn last week. They were nice. Their tour manager, Scotty, was very nice. It was a pleasure and they did a great show. So, here for your listening pleasure are Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn:

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ChumashCollages/BrooksDunnCollage-1000.jpg


http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/BrooksDunn02242006/BD0273-1000.JPG


http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/BrooksDunn02242006/BD0399-1000.JPG


http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/BrooksDunn02242006/BD0445-1000.JPG


http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/BrooksDunn02242006/BD1139-1000.JPG


http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/BrooksDunn02242006/BD1304-1000.jpg


You may notice a piece or two of confetti! When they were done the floor was about six inches deep in both the little short pieces mixed in with the long pieces. When I got home I had a couple of orange and blue pieces stuck in the wheels of my Pelican case. They also had balloon balls bouncing around. So besides a great show, where Kix actually took a cell phone away from a lady in the front row, chatted with her phone conact and then set the phone down for the rest of the concert so the person could hear it ... very funny!

There are more images from this concert on my website at http://www.dwightmccann.com/ChumashCasinoResort/BrooksDunn02242006.htm. Thanks for looking and feel free to copy, edit, use as wallpaper, criticize or praise. I'm still nervous!

[SurfKahakai]

I was wondering when these were coming out. Of all the concerts you've shot, this and the Beach Boys are the only ones I'd want to have been at. They look great, by the way. I wish the guitar on the left didn't have that glare though.

[DwightMcCann]

Surf, my Man! Glad you are still alive and well. Yes, well, the picture was really just a test shot to make sure everything was working, I didn't have the white balance set weird, there was a CF card in it, the ISO was OK, the lens was focusing ... all the things that I have managed at one time or another to forget, to my great embarrassment! I have one of a fiddle, too, on my website.

[saravrose]

wow! i actually went to one of there concerts a couple years back.. it was incredible..

sari

[rutt]

Gotta love the portraits and the last two. I really like the way you use stage light.

[liza]

These are excellent, Dwight. I photographed a Trace Adkins concert a while back, so I can definitely appreciate the challenges of concert photography.

[rutt]

Gotta love the portraits and the last two. I really like the way you use stage light.

P.S. Now I know why you love your 300 f/2.8L for concerts.

[Curtis N]

Outstanding, as usual, Dwight!
Good luck with the boxing gig. I don't think I could enjoy that sort of assignment. Watching two guys give each other brain damage isn't my idea of fun. I have no doubt you'll get some great shots.

[justchris]

The shot with the guitars and mandolin is pretty sweet. Who is that on the Gibson electric? Annie Oakley? Bell Starr?

[Mills]

Great shots Dwight. I'm sure your boxing images will knock us out too.;)

[zenden]

Excellent work Dwight.
Looks like I can learn loads by being a regular around here. I especially like the tight shots and the instruments.

[Screamer]

Great work Dwight! :)

[DwightMcCann]

I thank you all very, very much! Turns out I did get a few good shots of the most important championship match of the night at the boxing event so I am very pleased. ShowTime was very tight about what photographers were allowed to have their elbows on the mat so there were only three on my side and one on the other.

This Brooks and Dunn concert was super. I count myself blessed (in a non-religious sense, if there is such a thing) every time I shoot.

[taygull]

I've been waiting for these, awesome. How often do you use flash?

[René Damkot]

Nice as usual. Like the 1st portrait. Lovely lit.
About the collage: In the top row, the 4th and 5th image are different from the first 3 in regard to cropping, the 6th doesn't fit alltogether. May be better to change the order: Make #4 #1, maybe substitute #6 for another image that fits in better? Something like that. Like the confetti BG, but it's a bit to 'dense' at the top left IMO.

[taygull]

With the collage, I think I like the ones you do that look like photographs tossed out on a black background better. The shots are fantastic, the only thing I don't like about this collage is a really can't see the quality of your work because the pics are so small.

Great Stuff!

[taygull]

Dwight,

This is the link I get when I click on Ronnie Dunn playing his black Tele.

http://www.dwightmccann.com/ChumashCasinoResort/BrooksDunn02242006/BrooksDunn0657.htm

It is the picture of that ugly blue Gibson!(for Steve) LOL

[DwightMcCann]

Tay, I used flash at the Meet & Greet! :-)

Rene, you never cease to amaze me with your attention to detail ... and I mean that in the very most appreciative (appreciating both the sensitivity of your eye and the sensitifity of your of art) way ... I sometimes sense issues when building the collages that I cannot diagnose and then you come along an see it so clearly. Same with individual images, too. I wish I had your artistic/graphic insight and style. I will admit that after running through 600 images I get a bit in a hurry sometimes when the collages don't just flow.

BTW, I will be starting a thread on how I built this collage, hopefully later today [I have the screen shots from PhotoImpact] and will come back an put a link in here.

Again, I thank everyone and very much appreciate any criticisms.

[Steve Parr]

Dwight,

This is the link I get when I click on Ronnie Dunn playing his black Tele.

http://www.dwightmccann.com/ChumashCasinoResort/BrooksDunn02242006/BrooksDunn0657.htm

It is the picture of that ugly blue Gibson!(for Steve) LOL

That is an ugly blue Gibson.

Dwight, you're starting to raise the bar here, buddy. Knock it off...

:lol:

[DwightMcCann]

Tay, I fixed the page ... thanks for pointing it out!

Steve, I could have PS'd Taylor on the neck and you would have been praising it! :-)

[taygull]

very much appreciate any criticisms.

it is kinda like griping (is that gripe or grip, man I'm horrible at spelling!) at Tiger Woods when he missis a 4' putt!:lol:

[DwightMcCann]

Yes, "gripe", but we can all find something that might be improved.

[Steve Parr]

Tay, I fixed the page ... thanks for pointing it out!

Steve, I could have PS'd Taylor on the neck and you would have been praising it! :-)

Oh, I think I may have been able to tell that it had been worked over...

:lol:

[taygull]

Dwight, just so you know, my goal is to shoot a series that kicks your butt!:lol:

You really are an inspiration, I love the quality of your work and even more your ability to help others! Thanks !

[Steve Parr]

Dwight, just so you know, my goal is to shoot a series that kicks your butt!:lol:

You really are an inspiration, I love the quality of your work and even more your ability to help others! Thanks !

Taygull, we are mere mortals.

I like to refer to Dwight as "The Professor". His stuff is just over-the-top good. He'll be quick to tell you that it's because he uses top-notch gear and the venue has a world-class lighting system, but those things don't make a picture by themselves.

Frankly, if I shot a series which kicked Dwight's butt, I think my head would explode. I've learned a lot from Dwight, hence, "The Professor"...

[DwightMcCann]

Tay, while I will do everything possible to the extent you are capable to help you improve your images, I will also, of course, be doing everything possible to improve my own images ... so only doing well enough to kick my butt today won't be nearly good enough tomorrow!

[taygull]

I figured as much, I hate those dang moving targets!;)

[Croasdail]

Well Dwight.... you can count on me to be the odd man out. You did a superb job as always, but you know what.. I am not getting the same feeling from these I usually do from the rest of your stuff. The broad shots show excitement, but the closeups, well they are just there - they aren't saying much about the performers and their personalities. Maybe that is just how they were, I wasn't there so I don't know. But usually I can get a feel for the artist from your shots..... these are less so. Not that they are bad shots, but by your own standards I don't think they measure up.... kinda B+/A- on a Dwight scale. Hope this doesn't offend. Cheers.

[DwightMcCann]

So long as the only measure against which I am compared is myself it is pretty hard to complain too loudly, Mark! There is no question that some performers warm up faster than others on stage, and these two were a bit slow, particularly Kix. Unless you look at the rest of the images on my website then these do look a bit less "alive" than usual ... they are both such "pretty boys!" I think a few of the others are a bit more emotional, but most of the country musicians are pretty staid compared with the blues or rockers or the Latins!

Boxing is on its way!

[Kevin]

You done good Dwight.

[CurtTerp]

Some very nice shooting Dwight... Looks to have been a very fun concert

[MDJAK]

Dwight, I always hesitate to comment on your work. It is just that good. And if there is any criticism to be had, I'm certainly not in a league to heap it. I always look at your work and envy your good fortune. To do what you do and get paid for it at the same time, well, that's extremely lucky.

regards,
mark

[DwightMcCann]

Mark, "Lucky", LUCKY, Lucky!!!!!!! You have no idea how often I ask my wife if I died during my coronary bypass last year and this is Heaven! [Please do not confuse this with the idea that I have any expectation (or desire) of ever being in Heaven.] I think we're looking at 99.8% luck and 90% "Who you know" and 8.3462% talent, experience and equipment.:D

Now, it does occur to me that perhaps you find it hard to find fault with my work but you could comment with things like, "Magnificent" or "Spectacular" or something of that ilk.:rolleyes:

[MDJAK]

I've read much criticism around here, complaints about people who just say things like great work, etc. Your work is... well, you know.:)

As far as the percentage you cite, compare them to Yogi's quote regarding baseball. It's 90% mental, the other half is physical.

In your case, in my humble opinion, it's 90 percent talent, 10 percent knowledge and experience, and the other half is equipment. There's many people, me included, who have the equipment, but could not produce near the results you do consistently.

BTW, my wife and I are big country music fans. We're going to see Faith and Tim in a few months at the world's most famous arena.
mark

[DwightMcCann]

Have you reviewed my Maverick Saloon Project on my website, Mark? Turns out I have photographed over the past two or three years 8 of the groups or individuals nominated for the Country Music awards, some of them more than once.