B. B. King @ Chumash Casino Resort, January 2, 2009

[DwightMcCann]

B. B. was one of the first big name performers I photographed and this is the third time I've shot him. There is very little to say other than that he is a consummate musician and performer.

#1 The Obligatory Collage
http://dwightmccann.com/Images/BBKing2009/fullsize/BBKingCollage-1024.jpg

#2
http://dwightmccann.com/Images/BBKing2009/fullsize/BBKing2008-033.jpg

#3
http://dwightmccann.com/Images/BBKing2009/fullsize/BBKing2008-045.jpg

#4
http://dwightmccann.com/Images/BBKing2009/fullsize/BBKing2008-049.jpg

#5
http://dwightmccann.com/Images/BBKing2009/fullsize/BBKing2008-051.jpg

#6
http://dwightmccann.com/Images/BBKing2009/fullsize/BBKing2008-110.jpg

#7
http://dwightmccann.com/Images/BBKing2009/fullsize/BBKing2008-014.jpg

#8
http://dwightmccann.com/Images/BBKing2009/fullsize/BBKing2008-015.jpg

There are more in the gallery on my website at http://dwightmccann.com/ChumashCasinoResort/BBKing2009.html.

[Michael Bottoms]

Great Photos Dwight... super captures. Thanks for sharing

[Edges_of_Twilight]

Beautiful shots Dwight! So crisp. I love them all, but #6 is my favorite. His expression is great, and the blue really makes it "pop".

I'm so jealous. I'd love to see B.B live, let alone shooting photos of him! Must have been a great show.

[DwightMcCann]

Great Photos Dwight... super captures. Thanks for sharing
Thanks. We were limited to three songs but BB loves to talk so that lasted about 30 minutes! :-)

Beautiful shots Dwight! So crisp. I love them all, but #6 is my favorite. His expression is great, and the blue really makes it "pop".

I'm so jealous. I'd love to see B.B live, let alone shooting photos of him! Must have been a great show.
He does a good show. His band is stellar. Anybody know where I can get the names of the band members?

[roman_t]

one of your best bluesboy sets i have seen

[freebird]

Very nice images Dwight:D

Thanks for sharing them with us.

[londonblue007]

#3 for me. Excellent set. BB King in on my list of "want to see llive" and "want to shoot photos of".

Someday......

[johnstoy]

Wonderful set... The close ups are exceptional...

[DwightMcCann]

one of your best bluesboy sets i have seen
The Beale Street Blues Boy really knows how to put on a show after 83 years! I did notice he has dropped off talking about Viagra this year so I guess he's finally slowed down in that area! :-)

Very nice images Dwight:D

Thanks for sharing them with us.
Thank you. It is always a pleasure to hear what people think of my stuff.

#3 for me. Excellent set. BB King in on my list of "want to see llive" and "want to shoot photos of".

Someday......
Thanks. He's a good shoot and his band is awesome ... they come on first and each does an extended solo ... they always dress nicely (I'm of the old school and prefer suits or other outfits that have a matching quality) and look great!

Wonderful set... The close ups are exceptional...
Thanks, John. I think you were the one who pointed out that the close ups were my signature shots. :-)

[SuzyView]

Dwight, great series. I always love the first one you post, it sums up the whole thing. BB looks great! He's got to be slowing down. Those fingers see to blur.

[ssracer]

Great pictures. I have seen him in concert twice, I love his music.

[DwightMcCann]

Dwight, great series. I always love the first one you post, it sums up the whole thing. BB looks great! He's got to be slowing down. Those fingers see to blur.
Nice to see you lurking over here, Suz! :-)
Great pictures. I have seen him in concert twice, I love his music.
Blues just have a natural appeal I think.

[Ragingblues]

4 & 6. Lovely color and sharpness! Really nice.

[jmintz]

Thanks. We were limited to three songs but BB loves to talk so that lasted about 30 minutes! :-)

Plus, if it's anything like when I've shot BB, he doesn't even come out until the second song.

I really dig #6

[narlus]

nice set, Dwight! 3 and 4 for me...that's the BB i know.

[skifurthur]

Excellent session, Dwight. 3 and 4 for me as well. I also really like your collage for this one. Might want to put your contact info in the exif though. Never know when someone might want to contact you.

[DwightMcCann]

nice set, Dwight! 3 and 4 for me...that's the BB i know.
Yes, he has that range of expressions and uses them lovingly but frequently.
4 & 6. Lovely color and sharpness! Really nice.
Thanks ... good equipment and good lighting.
Plus, if it's anything like when I've shot BB, he doesn't even come out until the second song.

I really dig #6
Yes, but we don't start counting until he comes on stage and no one's corrected us.
Excellent session, Dwight. 3 and 4 for me as well. I also really like your collage for this one. Might want to put your contact info in the exif though. Never know when someone might want to contact you.
That's a good idea ... I inject IPTC with PhotoMechanic right after downloading so the individual images have it. But the collage is created from scratch so I lose it and it's not been in my workflow to add it to the collages. My guess is that anyone who wants to find me will and the others just want something for free which I generally don't do for new folks. :-) Pictures from this event went to two newspapers.

[Top Fuel Photos]

Man, nice shots, love them:):)

[DwightMcCann]

Man, nice shots, love them:):)
Thanks!

[GORDO]

Dwight.Fantastic pictures.Like em all.The ones on your website are fantastic also.Dont know what they do for everyone else but by seeing photos like this it shure gives me a big load of INSPIRATION.Thanks....GORDO....

[DwightMcCann]

Dwight.Fantastic pictures.Like em all.The ones on your website are fantastic also.Dont know what they do for everyone else but by seeing photos like this it shure gives me a big load of INSPIRATION.Thanks....GORDO....
Thanks, Gordo! Most everyone else just says, "Can't you ever post crap like the rest of us?" My answer is, "Yes, I have posted several times with my junk so quit bothering me about it and do a search!" :-)

[Michael Bottoms]

You know Dwight, I've seen BB live several times, but I've never been close enough to see the detail you've captured in your shots... He does put on a great show--or at least used to when a little younger... Thanks again for sharing these. Numbers 3 and 6 are my faves.

[skifurthur]

Thanks, Gordo! Most everyone else just says, "Can't you ever post crap like the rest of us?" My answer is, "Yes, I have posted several times with my junk so quit bothering me about it and do a search!" :-)

Some of us accept our lot in life and continue to post crap. I am one of the self-aware. :lol:

[DwightMcCann]

You know Dwight, I've seen BB live several times, but I've never been close enough to see the detail you've captured in your shots... He does put on a great show--or at least used to when a little younger... Thanks again for sharing these. Numbers 3 and 6 are my faves.
For 83 years old he puts on a dynamite show, a significant part of which is due to his spectacular band.

Some of us accept our lot in life and continue to post crap. I am one of the self-aware. :lol:
It seems to me that you did a whole tour with one of the biggest names out there so I just can't bring myself to feel too sorry for you! :-) OTOH, I recognize that the quality of my images has more to do with the quality of my venue and the quality of my equipment than the quality of my execution. :rolleyes:

[kmcconn9]

excellent pictures, especilly given the lighting conditions at those events.

What lens were you using for these if I may ask?

[DwightMcCann]

excellent pictures, especilly given the lighting conditions at those events.

What lens were you using for these if I may ask?
There is EXIF in all the non-collage images!

[skifurthur]

For 83 years old he puts on a dynamite show, a significant part of which is due to his spectacular band.


It seems to me that you did a whole tour with one of the biggest names out there so I just can't bring myself to feel too sorry for you! :-) OTOH, I recognize that the quality of my images has more to do with the quality of my venue and the quality of my equipment than the quality of my execution. :rolleyes:

That scruffy gravel-voice kid from NJ just might make it. ;) Don't sell yourself short, Dwight. You forgot the access you have. :rolleyes::lol:

[DwightMcCann]

That scruffy gravel-voice kid from NJ just might make it. ;) Don't sell yourself short, Dwight. You forgot the access you have. :rolleyes::lol:
I was counting "access" as part of the venue! Which is a great segue for me to once again make the point that success is all about, "Who you know, not what you know!" With the equipment today we can all make breathtaking images but if you can't get to the popular subjects or don't have a market then your talent is moot. I will also add that being reliable is easily worth as much as being able to make quality images when it comes to long term or corporate relations. I'll be the guest speaker at the Gold Coast Professional Photographers Association in San Luis Obispo, California, on the 19th and expect that this will be a major focus of my message.

[freebird]

Dwight well said.

I need to be your assistant:D

[Permagrin]

This is one of my favorite of your sets so far Dwight. #3 is outstanding, though they are all excellent.

[DwightMcCann]

Dwight well said.

I need to be your assistant:D
I agree, but you'll have to get at the end of the line which stretches about 30 miles from the Casino into Santa Barbara! I'm thinking of asking $200/concert to assist me and I get copyright of all images that the assistant might be allowed to shoot on their own while not actively doing my bidding! :lol::lol::lol:

This is one of my favorite of your sets so far Dwight. #3 is outstanding, though they are all excellent.
Thanks! I was very pleased with them. #6 was published this morning in the Santa Barbara News Press ... a courtesy image.

[freebird]

Dwight drives a hard bargain.:D:D

Keep up the good work!! We enjoy them alot. The close up of BB King really makes one look at how the road is for entertainers. I don't see how they do it.

I have seen BB in outdoor concert. We loved him and all his BBQ setup that traveled the road with the Band. That crew knows how to eat!!!!!

[bjordan]

Dwight surely doesn't remember me, but I got to be an assistant for about 10 seconds when he shot a private event at the Chumash Casino Resort that I was invited to. I'm a complete amateur and had never looked through a bazooka like that! What a treat. He also let my friend/date (a Brooks grad and wedding photographer) pull the trigger a few times, which was very gracious. Thanks Dwight!

[dazzlebea]

I swear that man doesn't age! He still looks and sounds as good as he did when I first saw him 25 :shock: years ago.

Thanks for sharing this fabulous set of pics!

[DwightMcCann]

Dwight drives a hard bargain.:D:D

Keep up the good work!! We enjoy them alot. The close up of BB King really makes one look at how the road is for entertainers. I don't see how they do it.

I have seen BB in outdoor concert. We loved him and all his BBQ setup that traveled the road with the Band. That crew knows how to eat!!!!!
It's all genes, either good or bad!
Dwight surely doesn't remember me, but I got to be an assistant for about 10 seconds when he shot a private event at the Chumash Casino Resort that I was invited to. I'm a complete amateur and had never looked through a bazooka like that! What a treat. He also let my friend/date (a Brooks grad and wedding photographer) pull the trigger a few times, which was very gracious. Thanks Dwight!
Hell, I let all the VIPs assist! And let all the good looking women fondle my big ones. Seriously, I'm not real proprietary with my equipment ... if someone at the casino wants to pick it up, look through it, rattle off a few frames, there's no cost to me and they get a charge out of it. So, if you're there with me again please annoy, er, ah, um, give me your card! :-)

I swear that man doesn't age! He still looks and sounds as good as he did when I first saw him 25 :shock: years ago.

Thanks for sharing this fabulous set of pics!
Now, remind me of how you knew me 25 years ago ... but yes, I do look good, but it's all a front ... I have several heart problems, speaking of bad genes, although I'm hoping a little surgery here and there will cure them. I want to die shooting something really fabulous, not of pneumonia because my heart is failing!

[Reyno]

Excellent series of one of my favorite artists .... well done as always Dwight !!!

[DwightMcCann]

Excellent series of one of my favorite artists .... well done as always Dwight !!!
Thank you. :-)

[S.E.V.]

As usual Dwight superb and sharp on the money.

[DwightMcCann]

As usual Dwight superb and sharp on the money.
As usual, thank you very much. In case everyone didn't venture out to my website I wanted to include this one, too, where B.B. was "ending" laughter in a monolog:

http://dwightmccann.com/Images/BBKing2009/fullsize/BBKing2008-117.jpg

P.S. I still need that HDR lesson.

[René Damkot]

Nice as usual.

On the HDR: I once wrote the PA blending tutorial (should be in the PA FAQ). Nowadays it's easier: Download Enfuse (http://timothyarmes.com/lrenfuse.php). Click. Done. (Well, that might be a bit too short, but you get the idea)

[DwightMcCann]

Nice as usual.

On the HDR: I once wrote the PA blending tutorial (should be in the PA FAQ). Nowadays it's easier: Download Enfuse (http://timothyarmes.com/lrenfuse.php). Click. Done. (Well, that might be a bit too short, but you get the idea)
I'll give that a shot, Rene, but I was really commenting to Sev and his excellent lady who thought they'd come up and shoot with me and give me a bit of a tutorial. ;)