Live Music: Skull

[jfrancho]

This is an old friend of mine. He is a one man band. He plays a 7-string guitar, sings, and plays drums with homemade foot triggers. It is quite something to see and hear. Normally I'd say Led Zeppelin covers are taboo, but he did an incredible rendition of "Kashmir."

[Carzee]

He does Kashmir on his own? I'd like to hear that.

[jfrancho]

I'm trying to find his MySpace site. I'll have to call him up. It was rediculous. He must have sampled Bonzo's drums right from the vinyl, because the tone was dead on. It wasn't that it was a *perfect* rendition, but he was able to transmit the driving power, authority, and polyrhythmic feel. I'll update you if I can find some music online.

[Carzee]

I was thinking I might try shooting a garage band at practice, for experience, How do you start in on bands and stage shooting?

[jfrancho]

I've been playing clubs in various bands since I was 16, and I realized I had all these memories, and nothing to show for it. So I decided to photograph the bands I went out to see. Like anything else, experience slowly leads to success. I still have a lot to learn, but I'm starting to pick up some paying customers. There still bands that I'd never charge for, like Gaylord - I used to be in that band, and they are my test subjects for trying out new things.

[Carzee]

For the right look -for the stage light cxolours etc - you can't use flash I presume, so you use a low light prime and a monopod? What are the basics?

[jfrancho]

I'm actually looking to add a flash to my bag of tricks - mostly for monochrome stuff. Generally, though it isn't recommended as it kills the 'mood' or is forbidden in the venue. I don't have any such restrictions. Fast primes are a must. I shoot wide open, and usually at about 1/40 (soft) - 1/80 (not that sharp) and iso 800-3200. Sometimes you can squeak by with ISO 400, if the lights are really bright. I don't use a monopod. I tried once, but it was too cumbersome. I shoot a lot of extreme angles, and find myself in weird positions, but almost always have three points braced against something solid. Foot up on the edge of the stage, another on the floor, and an elbow resting on a monitor or wall. If you can eliminate camera shake, then you just have to catch the performer in the right spot. Burst mode helps with this. Many times the first in a burst series is soft, but the next two are solid. Check out the Dwight McCann Stick in the Talk category, and do a search for "live music" with the quotes, for more info and examples.

[DwightMcCann]

Ah, thank goodness for Performing Arts! I missed this. Not one of your better technical threads but very interesting.

Carzee, you might want to go over to Talking About Photography and skim over my Q&A there for some sense of shooting bands.

[jfrancho]

No, I agree, shots from this club never come out real sharp when I use available light. This is the place that has cheesy track lighting with colored lightbulbs. I keep forgetting to take a picture of them, as a contrast to stadium or casino lighting that we see here!

[DwightMcCann]

Ah, yes, I remember you remarking on it before. What's the story on seven string guitars?

[jfrancho]

I'm not sure who started the 7-string madness, but some of the numetal bands have popularized them with alternate tunings and really low range. Bernie makes use of it filling out the bottom end, lacking a bass player.

[Steve Parr]

Originally Posted by Carzee

He does Kashmir on his own? I'd like to hear that.

"Kashmir" is the finest Zeppelin song goin', in my book.

Looks like the lighting was a bit of a challenge. Would've been nice to get some full body shots. The third picture, considering that he's a one-man band, I think would be great without the stuff in the back ground, or at least blurred a bit...

Steve

[jfrancho]

I have never understood when performers leave all their 'crap' laying around the stage when they are performing. I realize this isn't Carnegie Hall, but professionalism needs to start here. My boy Bernie here even left the hand truck in front of the stage! I moved that as it really annoying. I shot these wide open at 1.4, so any blurring would have to be artificially added, not something I like to do. As for full body shot, have two for you:

[Steve Parr]

I always like shots where the guitarists other guitars can be seen. The only thing I'd do in those last two would be to clone out the dimmer switch...

Steve

[jfrancho]

That's interesting. I don't usually clone anything out of my live images. I did once, here, to satisfy a request. I guess it isn't a big deal, it kind of looks like it's growing out of his back in the second picture. I'm curious what others think: is it acceptable to do this?