John Brown’s Body Tractor Tavern 12/19/08

John Brown’s Body is reggae band originally from Ithaca, NY and Boston, MA known for playing original material. Having released a number of albums and a consistent touring schedule, they have created a large following. The groups latest CD, Amplify, topped the reggae charts at #1.

Performing at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard, a neighborhood of Seattle, WA, John Brown’s Body performed to a full audience, playing a set that made sure no one was standing still. With the Band having to cancel their gig the night before, the crowd was excited to see them take the stage. Seattle was in middle of a major snowstorm that made it challenging to get to the venue. I was able to shoot the show by contacting the Band’s Management who was helpful in securing the ability to shoot at the venue.

The Tractor Tavern is a music club that has one large room with the stage placed in the back. The stage is very small especially when you place 8 band members up there! It seemed as if there was very little room to move around. The stage is about 2 feet off the ground, which created some challenges when trying to shoot from mid way back. One of the opening acts asked that they turn down the lights a bit and the club never seemed to raise them back to the level they were at first. The lack of light on other members other then the lead singer proved to be difficult to capture them with the camera. The constant movement of the crowd was also hard at times to position myself to capture the best shot.

I found myself using 3 Lenses to shoot this show. My Nikon 10.5mm f2.8 fisheye was able to capture the whole stage and band. I enjoy shooting with this lens the most, as I was able to shoot right in front as well as towards the back of the room. However, I felt I was still pushing it at f2.8. The next lens I used was my Nikon 50mm f1.8 and my Nikon 105mm f2.8. I used this from the side of the room about halfway back. Not expecting to need to use 3 lenses, I only brought my D300 so I had to take the time to switch between lenses.

Despite the aforementioned challenges, below are some of the best photos from the evening. If you ever have the chance to see or photograph John Brown’s Body, I highly recommend it and am confident you will find it worth your time.

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Jenny Lewis @ La Zona Rosa, Austin, 9/28/08

Jenny Lewis is the current reigning princess of the indie rock scene (though she may soon be overthrown by Zooey Deschanel—good thing they’re friends, right?). I had the chance to shoot a show she did with M. Ward and Conor Oberst to close out the Austin City Limits Music Festival back at the end of September. In fact, I think I actually got to shoot her three times in as many weeks, and in two different cities. Bonus: when I wasn’t shooting, I got to enjoy the show with our very own site admin, Nick Davis, and his wife, Tracie, who is totally hot like burning.

As usual, I was using my Canon Digital Rebel XTi set on manual. This was one of the first shows I shot with my Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8. It was a good show for this lens, too. As with most indie rock shows of this particular alt-country flavoring, there wasn’t too much movement, which gave the lens plenty of time to focus. When I wasn’t using the Tamron, I was getting close-ups of Jenny’s hot ass (or her amazing hair, really) with the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM. On the whole, this is a nice set-up: a versatile zoom with a good low light wide-open aperture and a decent prime for crisp close-up shots. Primes are also especially easy to shoot with when you have the freedom of shooting in a pit, which allows for more interaction with your subject.

The venue was actually a lot bigger than it looked from the outside, so I was lucky there was a barricade set up for us shooters. Problem numero uno: there were a LOT of photographers in the pit, and it was a small pit. I guess this was to be expected, as there was press from all over the country present for the festival. Granted, it wasn’t the smallest area I’ve ever had to work in, but not tripping over other people while trying to get the shot and be unobtrusive is a learned skill. The second problem was the lighting. If Jenny wasn’t slathered in a red or odd magenta wash, the house lights were way too bright. There was little middle ground. The last issue, which is one that’s usually not too big of a problem, was mic stands and instruments getting in the way. I tend to go for an otherworldly aesthetic with my concert shots. I like to make rock stars look like they are the only thing that exists in the universe of the photo, and when those pesky (but necessary) things get in the way, I get crabby. Then again, I’m a bit of a perfectionist.

In closing, it was a good show and a decent shoot, but I wasn’t as thrilled about the results as I feel I should have been. Check ‘em out:

Crystal Castles @ Webster Hall, NYC, 10/23/08

Canadian electro-duo Crystal Castles (Alice Glass and Ethan Kath), named after the popular 80s role-playing game, was CMJ’s surprise superstar act in 2007. They made a return to the festival this year as the headliner for a sold-out show at Webster Hall and it was absolutely crazy, both to witness and to shoot. Shows at Webster Hall are always a challenge because there is rarely, if ever, a barricade set up for photographers, so we’re usually dodging the crowd the entire time we’re working. One advantage, though: even though they tell you it’s the standard first three songs, no one’s paying attention, so you can generally shoot the entire show. Tip: make friends with the security guards. If they like you, they’ll let you shoot from roped-off areas, etc. This also tends to work at Terminal 5, too.

I started out the show about three rows back, house stage right, but the moment Alice came out, the crowd went wild. There were photographers everywhere, the floor was thumping along with the beat, Alice is everywhere at once, and I was pressed so tightly against my neighbors that it was nearly impossible for me to shoot. My first two shots here were taken in the midst of the chaos before I retreated. I was worried about my equipment, so I backed off, noting that there were several photographers shooting from the stage itself. I checked for special credentials, which none of them had, and started to look for my in.

It wasn’t long before I was perched atop one of the massive speakers permanently settled on either side of the stage, where people usually set their bags for safekeeping. I shot the entire show this way, shocked that no one came to yell at me or shine a flashlight in my eyes to get me back on level with the rest of the crowd. This elevated me just enough that I could [mostly] get all of the cameras and waving arms out of my shots—unless I wanted them there. I also no longer ran the risk of damage to my equipment or, secondarily, my person via flying elbows and alcohol.

My set-up was, again, very basic: I had my Canon Digital Rebel XTi set on aperture priority (f/2.8) and I switched back and forth between my Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lens and the Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8. A note on the Tamron: a nice third-party lens. The photos are pretty sharp, but the lens is slow—didn’t work so well for a show like this, where something crazy is happening every moment. If you’ve got the funds, go for the Canon L series equivalent (which costs about four times what the Tamron does). I almost always shoot manually, but this show was too crazy-go-nuts for that, and the aperture priority setting proved useful. The lights were synched with the music, which means one thing: way too much strobe. Occasionally, the tech would hit Alice with a nice blue wash, but not often. Then again, as I mentioned, she was everywhere—stage left, stage right, in the crowd. Who could keep up with her?

While it was a difficult show to shoot, it was a ton of fun. There were times when I had to stop shooting to dance with abandon. Even better, I’m pleased with my results. They’re always better when you really have to work for them.

Citizens Band @ Spiegeltent, NYC, 9/8/08

The Citizens Band is a modern cabaret act with a revolving door of cast members, including well-known performers, in addition to some exceptionally talented circus acts. The troupe hit New York’s Spiegeltent at South Street Sea Port’s Pier 17 with their sixth original production, The Panic is On. This particular show, a political satire, featured aerialist Chelsea Bacon; Nina Persson (of the Cardigans & A-Camp fame); Craig Wedren (Shudder to Think); and a special performance by Amanda Palmer (formerly of the Dresden Dolls).

If you don’t know much about Spiegeltent, it is, quite literally, a circus tent (a seasonal venue, obviously). Given that, it’s beautiful inside, and the lighting is amazing. I shot from a stationary position in the tent, about two rows back from the stage and on the aisle, which provided a clear, open space for shooting. This particular show was interactive, with the characters moving around the audience, which made it simultaneously both easier and more difficult to shoot. More on that later.

My setup was pretty basic. I used my trusty Canon Digital Rebel XTi and switched back and forth between my Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II and Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM lenses. I’m almost solely a manual shooter, so I try to keep my settings such that I really only have to change the shutter speed along with the lighting cues. I set my ISO at 800, as it was nice, theatrical lighting and bright enough that I could avoid the noise of a 1600 ISO setting. I kept my aperture at f/2.8 so as not to reduce my depth of field too much, especially since I had a whole room to capture, as opposed to one area of a stage. I shoot RAW, so I left the white balance on auto. Temperature changes are easy enough in post-production that I don’t find it necessary to adjust too much while shooting unless things start looking wonky in my viewfinder.

There was a lot going on here. Players center stage, hanging from the ceiling, to the side, and behind. This allowed for some interesting visuals. I tend to like to move around a bit and alter my angles, try to see things from a more artful perspective while still maintaining a journalistic approach for whichever publication I happen to be shooting for. I was glued to my seat, however, so the movement was helpful. Sadly, I lost a lot of shots when some of the performers got too close. I remember what would have been an especially nice shot of Amanda Palmer walking down the aisle, away from the stage. The particular lenses I was working with are less than optimal when your subject is standing less than five feet from your face. Alas, maybe it’s time to ask Santa for a nice, wide prime.

Overall, as you’ll see below, I got some really nice shots. The only time I found myself really frustrated was during the contortionists’ performance, which was straight-up lit through and through with red. I was dissatisfied with every one of those shots. Oh well. Here’s some of the good stuff, with specs attached.

Call for submissions

Attention concert photographers:

If you don’t know me, my name is Nick Davis, and I am the Technical Editor of PopWreckoning.com, as well as an avid concert photographer.

Today I am announcing the launch of a new site dedicated solely to concert photography: 3songs.net. 3Songs will feature daily content based around what we love to do. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to participate in this exciting venture by submitting technical concert-photography articles. These articles, called Show Debriefings, will be written from the vantage point of a concert photographer, targeted at other concert photographers.

In return for every qualifying article, you will receive:

• $10 stipend (paid via PayPal when we accept your article)
• A spot on our featured photographer page
• A photographer profile (you must provide) including links to your galleries, publications, and contact information. Please include links to purchase photos if this applies to you.
• Publicity!

A proper article should include the following elements:

• At least 500 words
• At least 5 pictures, with a caption consisting of the ISO, Aperture, and Shutter speed of each
• A description of all equipment used for the shoot
• Technical details on the shoot (where you were able to shoot, lighting conditions, shooting restrictions, camera settings, annoyances, etc)
• Obstacles you overcame for the shoot
• Anything else you find relevant

Additionally, we are seeking content for our Concert Photography tips section, so please send those our way as well (2-3 paragraphs). If you would like to write a feature article on a technique, tip, or an equipment review, please send your article idea to editor at 3songs dot net. If approved, your article will receive the same benefits stated above. Some upcoming features I would like so covered include:

• Getting Credentials
• Sneaking your gear in without credentials
• Bracketing
• Raw vs. Jpeg
• Dealing with common lighting problems (too dim, too red, etc)
• Metering methods
• auto vs. manual focus, and which focus points to use, as well as different AF methods
• Send in your ideas!

[Update: 2008-12-03] I really shoud have mentioned this, but you retain all copyrights to your photos and the article itself. All we ask is for a license to publish the content, and exclusive rights to the article for 1 week from publishing.

Gogol Bordello, Kansas City, MO

On Thursday, Tracie and I went to the Beaumont Club to check out Gogol Bordello. If you’re not aware of them, New York-based Gogol Bordello claims to be a “Gypsy Punk” band. Fronted by the unique Eugene Hutz, who starred in Everything is Illuminated alongside Elijah Wood, the band puts on a kinetic performance that could leave you exhausted just watching.

Since I am now shooting for (partly local) music blog PopWreck(oning), I was able to get in front for the first 3 songs with an official photo pass. To say it was my toughest assignment yet would be an understatement.

The show was packed, much more packed than I would have imagined. The crowd was definitely alternative and punk, heavily tattooed and ready to mosh. My first realization of this was when 6 massive stage bouncers took to the front of the stage. One looked down at me and said “If I tap you on the shoulder, MOVE!”.

With me that night was my Canon 20D with my 85mm 1.8 attached, and my 5D with my 24-70 2.8L attached. Both cameras were set to spot metering, tungsten white balance, 1600 ISO, aperture priority. To be safe, I was bracketing a full stop on the 20D. I would normally have put the 24-70 on the 20D and my 70-200 2.8L on the 5D, but that lens is at Canon now for repairs.

The band took the stage like Kansas Citians take to a buffet. Game on. I perch down and try to get focused, but the lighting was awful. The basic setup was a bunch of red lights, with occastional full-on white lighting. The white balance was fine for the white lights, but the red lights leave everyone very, very red. Most of those shots are the ones in black and white.

I’m used to shooting mildly-energetic indie acts: Singer-songwriters, power-pop, and the like. They’re 90% in front of their mic stand, 10% moving. Eugene Hutz is 93% running, 4% jumping, and 3% flinging sweat everywhere. I’m pretty sure he never stopped moving. In low light he was almost impossible to shoot. I was glad to have that f1.8 lens at times, but it needed to be much wider. When Hutz was 24 inches away, that 128mm (effective) lens was way too long.

30 seconds into the first song, I get the first tap on the shoulder and was guided stage right. Seconds later a body comes flying over the barrier wall. I retake my spot and 30 seconds another tap and another flying body. 20 seconds after that a drink is in the air and it’s raining some liquid substance. Who knows.

So Equene is everwhere, bodies are flying, and mysterious liquids are coming down. Did I mention this was a difficult shoot? Difficult, but a ton of fun. It’s these shoots where I’m glad I had everything set correctly before the gig starts.

For the third song I go stage right just in time for a flying body that actually resists the bouncers. All 100lbs of this girl gave quite a struggle. The bouncers did an admirable job removing her without force, and an even more admirable job keeping a body from falling on me.

After the 3 songs I retreated to the back where I found Tracie sitting. This is a show where you either are up close and moshing with the crowd or you’re way in back. Neither of us had it in us, so we were in the back, which at the beaumont means not much of a view. Oh well, I had mine.