Bruce Springsteen at Gelredome, Arnhem, Netherlands

[René Damkot]

Well, through POTN I got the chance to shoot Bruce Springsteen. (Thnx Tony)

Was a different job then I'm used to: 3 song rule, approx. 40m from stage.
I'd just bought a 1.4x TC, and definately needed it. A few press photographers showed up with 400mm and 600mm, sometimes used with TC.
One press photographer had a 80-200 with 1.4x as well, and he was less then amused...
One other had a 100-400, and I expect he had to use ISO 3200 at least. I was around 1/160 f/4 (wide open) at ISO 3200. Good thing I have a monopod.


All images here (http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/index.html)

1: Snapshot leaning back as far as I could from the 'stage' we were on, using 20mm: About 15 photographers from one spot, all shooting over each others shoulders...
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/content/bin/images/large/rhd_20071201_Bruce_006.jpg

2: Stage overview at 80mm (not sure if this is with or without TC: It doesn't show in the EXIF):
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/content/bin/images/large/rhd_20071201_Bruce_106.jpg

3: Portrait crop from a landscape image at 280mm (200mm x 1.4)
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/content/bin/images/large/rhd_20071201_Bruce_098.jpg

4: Landscape crop from about the same FL:
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/content/bin/images/large/rhd_20071201_Bruce_171.jpg

5:Bruce: (Little Steven rather destroys this shot)
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/content/bin/images/large/rhd_20071201_Bruce_073.jpg

6:Bruce: (Little Steven is at the right position, Expression is less with Bruce)
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/content/bin/images/large/rhd_20071201_Bruce_080.jpg

7: Stage overview, 50mm
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/content/bin/images/large/rhd_20071201_Bruce_138.jpg

8: Last image:
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/content/bin/images/large/rhd_20071201_Bruce_239.jpg

Lighting wasn't overly exciting during the first three songs, and I didn't stay to watch the rest. I've kept an eye on the dutch papers to see what other photographers got during the show: Pretty much all the same: Variations on image #3.

If I ever get to shoot something like this again, I think I'll rent a second 1D2 and a 400 f/2.8
I think it would be rather helpful to actually be able to see the expression of the guy you're shooting in the viewfinder...

[blackshadow]

Awesome stuff Renee; very good effort considering the distance... hopefully I'll get the chance to shoot "The Boss" if he makes it down under on his tour.

[skifurthur]

It is quite a bit different than shooting from a photo pit, eh?

You did a good job with what conditions were presented. I rather like the *Rene* treatment of this shots, considering I have probably seen 10K photos from this tour (a few thousand my own) and no exactly what you are saying about *variations on # 3* Most media in the US use that 2-shot on every concert review and I think there is a section in the Associated Press guidebook dedicated to that shot. ;)

Ready for another go in the summer, in a stadium? lol

[Burrelly]

Not a fan of bruce but loving the shots. Good job concidering the conditions!

[DwightMcCann]

Whoa, a great opportunity for my 400mm f/2.8L IS, eh? :-) I might be too old and fragile for this gig after all, Ski, sigh. Couldn't I just kneel down in the center isle by the first row and pretend it was a pit? :-)

[shesgotthepic]

That dang mic stand in 4. Can you clone it out? I think that shot is absolutely awesome. The stand is a bit distracting, though.

#8 - interesting way to stack Marshalls. I like it.

As always, René, great shots.

Here's a Springsteen story from waaaaaaay back when. (about 12-14 years ago) He was playing the stadium in Stockholm and had a day off in town after the show. Well, that's what it looked like when I saw him and Patty walking around a big record store in the city, with a couple of big body guards in tow. Shop was blasting out the latest album through the speakers. I walked up to the clerk and politely told him that he might want to reconsider his choice of music, considering who was in the store. The guy just shook his shoulders and responded with a "his problem, not mine. If he doesn't like us playing his music he can go somewhere else." No point in discussing it further so I left it at that and browesd the CDs for what I was looking for. Not long after I had walked away from the clerk one of the body guards stepped up to the clerk and in a deep american voice and a tone that was very polite but dripping with don't argue with me said "would you mind changing the music as Mr Springsteen is here as a private person and would like to minimize any attention from fans, please." (or something similar. Pretty much what I had told the guy, not having asked any of the guards, just know from experience with other artists).

The clerk did a very good impression of Superman as he flew through the store to the back office to change the record. I chuckled slightly, winked at the guard who nodded back at me with a look that said "thanks for trying" and carried on with my own business.

Can't remember what they changed to but it was very different.

A swedish politician can't stop talking on radio about her meeting with him last night as she is a mega fan. She turned down the nobel price party to go see Bruce. Bruce left Stockholm today. I don't think he went shopping this time.

She

[sando]

Great shots. :D

Silvio ;) add's to the pics!!

[René Damkot]

Thanks all!

@Ski: "René treatment"? Can you expand (Trying to analyse what I'm doing as seen by others, so I can try to understand myself ;))

@Dwight: If you'd lived closer, I'd have called to ask for a loan of that lens ;)

That dang mic stand in 4. Can you clone it out? I think that shot is absolutely awesome. The stand is a bit distracting, though.

I could, but I won't ;)
I don't think it's that disturbing: He's a singer after all, so a mic is supposed to be there...

Glad you like it: I put it on my MySpace ;)

#8 - interesting way to stack Marshalls. I like it.

Bit of job-deformation? ;)

[thelightofsound]

great job! i think what tony was saying is your pp (((treatment))), which is always top notch. 2 and 7 are my favorites.

[johnstoy]

Way cool guys... This is great. Congrats. Rene...Tony...

Right on...Thats the way to network...

I like them all. Cheers.

[JSJR4]

Lovely shots. Well done

[narlus]

good job, esp. given the circumstances. it's funny that i never noticed the marshall amps lying on their back before.

#7 really tells the story on how far back you were!

[René Damkot]

Thanks!

#7 really tells the story on how far back you were!

Actually, I was further away; the image is cropped ;)
I guess this guy was right:
http://www.moonglade.net/~rene/071201Bruce/content/bin/images/large/rhd_20071201_Bruce_018.jpg


:D

[willy b]

Cracking job considering!!

[Steve Parr]

Rene, that's some great stuff, man. Talk about a great opportunity!

I've got Tony's phone number saved in my cell, just in case Springsteen makes it to southern California and Tony doesn't!

[René Damkot]

Rene, that's some great stuff, man. Talk about a great opportunity!

I've got Tony's phone number saved in my cell, just in case Springsteen makes it to southern California and Tony doesn't!

Thanks, and yeah, nice opportunity for sure... \
Wish I'd know the distance was about 40m instead of 30; I might have rented a 400mm or 300 with IS. Lots of images aren't as sharp as I'd like them to be now because of camera shake (1/160s at 280mm is do-able from monopod, but not if combined with unsure footing and stress apparently :p)

[silvex]

Great shots! I love #4 and #7. I goingto try get a press pass for the orange county fair in july 2008.

[amonline]

I see Max isn't worrying about the strike. LOL :lol:

40m? Geez, someone's a little worried about a wrinkle showing up in a magazine. :lol:

[shesgotthepic]

If you get to shoot under similar circumstances again, this lens (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800557508-USE/Canon__Super_Telephoto_1200mm_f_5_6L.html) might be good to have in the camera bag.
:lol:

[René Damkot]

Hahahaha. Might be a *bit* on the long side...
Wouldn't fit the bag either :lol:

Actually, a while back a couple of Dutch Music Photographers decided to ban shooting from distances like this. They felt they couldn't get any 'individual' shots.

I understand very much what they mean now ;)

[DwightMcCann]

Hahahaha. Might be a *bit* on the long side...
Wouldn't fit the bag either :lol:

Actually, a while back a couple of Dutch Music Photographers decided to ban shooting from distances like this. They felt they couldn't get any 'individual' shots.

I understand very much what they mean now ;)

I never shoot from more than 100' or so ... use the 400mm f/2.8 with 1.4TC (the 2.0 TC wide open isn't very sharp). I don't like it so rarely would do it, even for young Bruce! I do, how ever, have a tripod that would hold that beauty! :cool:

[londonblue007]

#8 - interesting way to stack Marshalls. I like it.



you stack marshal's that way to control the direction of the sound and the stage volume. the less sound on stage, the better an artist can hear themselves, and the better the show as a whole will sound, regardless of what kind of room it is (club/theatre/arena/stadium/central park). It's all about control of sound into each microphone. if you can limit sound from giant marshal stacks from entering into the lead singer's mic, then you will have a better vocal track for both speakers, and for the ever important end of tour live album :-)
some artists even go so far as to have tons of marshal's on stage, yet none of them plugged into anything. everything gets patched into little expensive amps backstage in small mobile quiet rooms(road cases with tons of towels and pillows) with $1000 mics on them. DropKick Murphys does something similar. They have some of the Marshal's hooked up, but not all. the majority of the guitars are going into nice fender hot rod's and vox amps behind the marshal stacks.

anyway, it's all about sound control and stage volume.