Music Photography

[belian]

Does anyone have a favourite photo of a musician or even a favourite music photographer? I particularly like these photos:

http://www.poster.net/lennon-john/lennon-john-imagine-4900118.jpg

http://www.musikbibliotek.dk/images/20/3303-8849.jpg

[minky_monkey]

I read an article in Digital SLR User about John Mcmurtie, he`s got some great shots. They`re all modern bands though.

That Hendrix one`s fantastic.

[belian]

I hadn't heard of him before, just checked out his website and his work is pretty good. I prefer the old-timers though - have your heard of Mick Rock? He's taken some of the most iconic images of various musicians such as Bowie and Iggy Pop:

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/arts/2005/09/22/MickRock_ziggy7333.jpg

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/gallery/2005/07/19/MickRock2iggypop300.jpg

you can see more of his work at mickrock.com

[mobilevirgin]

If you were a little punk / new wave fan then you'll love Phillipe Carly's website:

http://www.newwavephotos.com/index.htm

http://www.newwavephotos.com/Jam/14_01Jam.jpg

[belian]

Hey mobilevirgin, thanks for the link :). I just had another look at the Mick Rock website and he has just released a DVD of his work called 'Punk Drunk Love' - looks really good (Iggy Pop is on the cover of the DVD!). He's even been interviewed by the BBC about it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6600000/newsid_6601900/6601919.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm

..and I found an interesting NME article that mentions it:

http://www.nme.com/news/the-kooks/28154

[Jason]

This is one of my faves, i had it on my bedroom wall as a kid. It's now up in the garage.
http://panther1.last.fm/proposedimages/original/6/1235281/67263.jpg

[belian]

That's a really good photo

http://www.altmanphoto.com/IggyPop.jpeg

[shiato storm]

storm thorgerson

[photostar_1]

This is one of my faves, i had it on my bedroom wall as a kid. It's now up in the garage.
http://panther1.last.fm/proposedimages/original/6/1235281/67263.jpg

This is them today....or at least, Pete and Roger. Zac Starr (ringo's boy) now drums for them. taken at O2 festival, Leeds , last year.

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/869/The-Who1.jpg

[minimeeze]

One of my all time favourite shots which used to hang in my local for years:


http://www.rockstore.net/Merchant/graphics/00000001/akjltruck.jpg

[sakura]

jim marshall ~ phil franks ~pennie smith ~ jill furmanovsky ~ tom wright ~ pat pope ~ roger woolman ~ ross halfin ~ scarlet page ~ mick rock ~~~~~

so many ace rock photographers

[Dino f]

Mick Rock for the old school, and Danny Clifford for the new.
Sakura, i bl**dy love your website
Dean:)

[paulc]

I agree, your site is absolutely Mega....wonderful stuff!

[sakura]

thank you - they're lucky shots :p

it's so much easier now doing live bands with digi-cams

[sakura]

how could i forget Danny Clifford

and Kevin Westenberg

[paulc]

thank you - they're lucky shots :p

it's so much easier now doing live bands with digi-cams

Ooh the modesty...your images are superb, what sort of kit do use?

[sakura]

thanks very much for your support - that's very kind of you

but it is true that a lot of live music shoots are based on good luck - you're in low light conditions, you might have smoke machines blasting, crowd surfers, strobe lights, white spotlights coming straight at you, or constant change of light conditions, sometimes you have a band who doesn't like being photographed - they might throw beer or spit or even kick off on photographers ---- there's a lot to contend with sometimes

well - Canon 10d with grip with Sigma f2.8 18-50 (i use this most of the time in smaller venues)

also Sigma f2.8 28-70
Canon f1.8 50mm - which i very rarely use
Canon 430ex Speedlite

for festivals and big venues Sigma f2.8 70-200

when i shot with film i used Canon A1 and Olympus OM10

i'm thinking that i might need a monpod - any suggestions anyone?

[paulc]

well you obviously know your stuff, how come you dont much use the 50mm 1.8, it seems that lots of people swear by them.

[sakura]

to be honest with you - i always forget that it's there in my bag

it's great for really dark gigs with that nasty red light - that's when i remember to use it and events where you're not allowed to use flash

watch out for that red light

[Shorn]

Roisan Murphy taken at the 2005 Vconcert
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1041/Roisan_Murphy.jpg

Chicane also at the Vconcert

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/gallery/data/1041/Chicane.jpg

[Hopkin Green Frog]

to be honest with you - i always forget that it's there in my bag

it's great for really dark gigs with that nasty red light - that's when i remember to use it and events where you're not allowed to use flash

watch out for that red light

Your site is fantastic, so many great bands - how do you get the opportunities?
I never use flash for gigs, but since I only have a crappy onboard flash, I wouldn't anyway ;)

Never had a band give me any grief while shooting. Had a couple of tour managers give me a hard time, though. They're a stroppy breed!

The red light, the hellish hellish red light. And the lighting guys all love it.

Any other music photographers on the forums?

[sakura]

heehee

i have no shame - i do resort to using the onboard flash

i stuck some micropore tape on it to diffuse it, but now they Lumiquest are making these fold-out diffusers - one of people on the forum has bought one

[Hopkin Green Frog]

Happy Mondays tomorrow night! I'll report back with any good ones :)

[sakura]

Happy Mondays tomorrow night! I'll report back with any good ones :)

cool! :)

i'm at Fun loving Criminals on Friday

[petemc]

Your site is fantastic, so many great bands - how do you get the opportunities?
I never use flash for gigs, but since I only have a crappy onboard flash, I wouldn't anyway ;)

Never had a band give me any grief while shooting. Had a couple of tour managers give me a hard time, though. They're a stroppy breed!

The red light, the hellish hellish red light. And the lighting guys all love it.

Any other music photographers on the forums?

Bop :D I've done a bit here n there. The flash is a tricky beast to master and sakura's work did inspire me to try to master it. Red light is always fun to shoot. 0 shadow detail. I've found reducing the white balance to the lowest it can go sometimes helps.

[Hopkin Green Frog]

cool! :)

i'm at Fun loving Criminals on Friday

Oh man, I want to take pictures of huey the king of cool!

[Hopkin Green Frog]

I've found reducing the white balance to the lowest it can go sometimes helps.

I'll give that a try :) cheers

[Hopkin Green Frog]

Happy Mondays photos are in general critique forum thing.
Set is here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikiniblack/sets/72157600293373725/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/193/524047979_246a2ef32d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikiniblack/524047979/" title=Photo Sharing)

[mobilevirgin]

flickr set is ace - I'm not a great fan of the band, but you've captured a band who appeared to be really up for it that night, except for the one of Shaun sitting down where he doesn't look like he's up for anything at all :-)

[sakura]

Happy Mondays photos are in general critique forum thing.
Set is here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikiniblack/sets/72157600293373725/)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/193/524047979_246a2ef32d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikiniblack/524047979/" title=Photo Sharing)

i do like this photo

could i suggest maybe tweak it a tiny little bit - Levels in PS, just to add a bit of light ?

just a thought - hope you dont mind me saying that ^

[Hopkin Green Frog]

Don't mind at all - I do have a tendency to leave my shots a bit dark, I guess I just like em that way, but everyone always says "lighten em up!". I'll give it a go :)

[Elaine]

I love Sakura's work..really inspirational stuff there :)
As I'm no where near good enough to be let near a signed band (bar zico chain)
it's just local bands for me..no stroppy band managers to contend with..But would die a very happy woman to get to photograph some of the major signed bands :(
Lately I have been getting fans stroking my hair from when i'm sat in the photo pit..anyone else get that? Then there's always the beer over the hair and clothes...Yay! They could atleast try and throw it in my mouth and not all over me! What a waste :cuckoo:

[Hopkin Green Frog]

I love Sakura's work..really inspirational stuff there :)
As I'm no where near good enough to be let near a signed band (bar zico chain)
it's just local bands for me..no stroppy band managers to contend with..But would die a very happy woman to get to photograph some of the major signed bands :(
Lately I have been getting fans stroking my hair from when i'm sat in the photo pit..anyone else get that? Then there's always the beer over the hair and clothes...Yay! They could atleast try and throw it in my mouth and not all over me! What a waste :cuckoo:

Ha yeah the hair touching thing gets really annoying.
What gets on my wick most is when you're in the pit before the band comes on and there's some drunken idiot going "take my picture! Go on! Take my picture! Go on! Go on! Go on!"

[sakura]

thank you both very much

the hair thing is weird - i always wonder why people do it, i said to one man 'do that again and i'll snap your fingers off'
he stopped

the crowd surfer is more scary - obvious reasons

flying beer - is plain stupid, pointless and expensive

the drunken shouty man wanting his photo taken - i just take a picture - he's happy and he'll leave you alone

all part of the music photography adventure i'm afraid

[Hopkin Green Frog]

I consider it all part of the adventure in the end - though I was shooting some stuff from the back (after the irritating 3 song limit) at the Mondays with the 70-300 and I had a beautiful shot lined up of bez and shaun together, just I hit the shutter, this guy stuck his hand in front of the lens on purpose. He nearly got the full extension of the 70-300 up him without lube.

But, y'know, part of the adventure. Flying drinks are the biggest drag. When it comes to crowd surfers, I know the security guys and they know me, and they'll give me a gentle shove if I'm not paying attention when someone's flying in.

How did the FLC shoot come out, Sakura?

[Elaine]

Best incident I had was a guy tapping me on my head and shouted "Watch this!!!!!" He then proceeded to take all his clothes off and jumped over the pit..only managed to capture him climbing over the fence (had a crappy camera)
and missed the vital shot :bonk:

[sakura]

Best incident I had was a guy tapping me on my head and shouted "Watch this!!!!!" He then proceeded to take all his clothes off and jumped over the pit..only managed to capture him climbing over the fence (had a crappy camera)
and missed the vital shot :bonk:

that is hilarious :lol: the man not your camera

i didnt do FLC in the end, i ended up being summoned to do Sgt Pepper's 40th anniversary - and then summoned to photo Seasick Steve

it was a fantastic day - Seasick Steve is amazing, he has plays a 3 string guitar - you'll be impressed

www.myspace.com/seasicksteve

[Elaine]

Wow..congrats for getting the chance to photo the Sgt Pepper's 40th anniversary.. :)

[marcus]

i personally like some of Tom Barnes' photography.
i think his website is www.tombarnesphoto.com

[Dino f]

I only rock with the hardcore.......................................... ....
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k287/dinof/IMG_0065WEB-1.jpg
It's CHICO TIME:lol: :lol: :lol:
http://www.feltimo.com
Dean:)

[paulc]

Great shot Dean, I really like it but everytime I hear its chico time, I just cant help thinking thst MC Hammer must be jumping mad!..cracking image though.

EDIT..superb website BTW