For me, compositions like this are so much more fluidly achieved at small shows in a way that never really seems to click on the high and brightly lit stages of big tours.
While I do love a nice treatment of blazing spotlights and pyrotechnics, sometimes you just have to go back to basics. For me, this was shooting a tiny club with just simple incandescent cans, standing room only, and a one-foot stage. In the basement of a university student center. And in a venue that was part of the cafeteria.
So it was that I photographed indie darlings Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, whose 2006 release Broom received the nod from the likes of SPIN and Pitchfork, along with the openers Flaming Death Trap.
Photographer’s Notes:
Dive and all, I loved photographing this show. While the lights left a bit to be desired, there was just something entirely satisfying about the experience.
I often get asked if I only photograph big shows in arenas, amphitheaters, and large clubs – and though I love photographing the big productions at these events, they’re not the whole story.
While it seems like I only shoot in tiny clubs like this a few times a year now, shows like this are how I got my start in concert photography and I’m definitely glad that I picked up this assignment.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 5:34 pm and is filed under Music Photography and tagged with billiken club, flaming death trap, live, photography, photos, somone still loves you boris yeltsin, sslyby. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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Back to basics: Shooting in a basement dive with a 1' stage? Makes me all nostalgic. http://is.gd/9Dud3
RT @toddowyoung: Back to basics: Shooting in a basement dive with a 1' stage? Makes me all nostalgic. http://is.gd/9Dud3
Todd,
I’m kinda of the reverse since I shoot almost exclusively in small clubs. And, as you say you can get a sense of fluidity on those small stages, but I like shooting in them, mainly, because you can get portraits of the musicians such as this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/areacodegreetings/4141279680/in/set-72157619741193832/
Peace
Chandler
One thing I do miss about small clubs is the stage height. The main club I shoot at has a roughly 5.5′ stage, which is actually taller than then the stage of the amphitheater here. That’s going to affect the angle and general feel quite a bit.
I feel that one can still shoot tight portraits of musicians at larger venues – it just requires a lot more focal length!
Billiken Club?! Gotta love it!
The infamous Billiken Club. The one and only.
hi todd,its allways good to go back to your roots.
did you use your 50mm f1.4 and have you got the new 24mm yet?
like chandler i spend my days in the small cubs usually with worse light than this.sometimes i just crave some good lights for a change.
Hey Johnny,
I was shooting with the 50mm f/1.4 and the 85/1.4 at this show, though the light was pleasantly bright (albeit harsh) enough that I could also shoot with the 24-70mm f/2.8 without sweating too high of an ISO.
Compared to the other clubs I’ve shot recently, the lighting at this gig was a cakewalk. I was surprised, they really cranked up the lights for this show; it’s not always the case.
You could shoot in a hall closet and make it look good, Todd.
Funny you should say that, that’s where my next gig is being held. Thanks, Woody.
Love love love that first one.
I’ve always been a fan of smaller clubs, there’s always an intimacy to the photos that is so hard to achieve in larger venues.
Hey Tasha,
Thanks, that first photo was easily my favorite of the night. As you know, the Pageant here has such a tall stage that it’s really a different feel from smaller rooms. I would definitely like to check out some other small gigs around here this year.
Will we see the rest of the photos from this show?
Hey Perry,
These are all the photos from the show that I’ll be posting here, but you can see a few more on my image archive.
Love the intimate club feel of the first shot – and the last “still life” shot is priceless! Sums up the whole concert! It’s good to see you back in the tiny dives again after all the big time stadium type concerts with the big names. Nice.
Hey Thomas,
Nice to hear from you, thanks for the comment. That “still life” was a shot in between sets – I was settled in there so I had to entertain myself.
The club that I shoot at (Bluebird in Bloomington, IN) has to have the worst lighting of any club. I bought the 24-70 F2.8 but can rarely use it. Sometimes the lighting allows me to use it but I have to use a exposure comp of +5, ISO 3200, and a low shuter speed. The images always com eout looking really soft w/ a lot of noise, if that makes sense. I almost exclusively use the 50mm 1.4 and am looking out for some more primes. When they actually have a lighting rig set up, it’s all lit from the back and the artists are in the shadows.
Really cool you are also shooting small venues. This way you can demonstrate how good pictures can be taken without much stage lighting and stage effects.
Refreshing to read the article,
Thanks Greets Bart