Primes vs Zooms For Event Photography
The eternal dichotomies. Good vs Evil. Night vs Day. Nikon vs Canon. Primes vs Zooms. When it comes to available light event photography, the photographer is often pulled between constraints – the two biggest of which are limited access and limited lighting. As a result, we’re also often split between the solutions to these problems [...]
Photos: Aquabats @ The Pageant
Opening up for Reel Big Fish, your favorite costumed third-wave ska heroes The Aquabats ripped through their characteristically high-energy set with pelvic thrusts, karate kicks, and lots of blue spandex.
Photos: Against Me @ The Pageant
When Against Me took the stage at the Pageant and the big beautiful white lights came up, you should have seen the look on my face.
Photos: Wild Tiger @ The Pageant
I’ll be honest. I had no idea what to expect with Wild Tigers opening up for Story of the Year at the Pageant, and most of that came from their Myspace page. What I gleaned was that they have songs titled “Hot Woman In Dark Denim” and “The Alligator (Sex In The Swamp),” and a [...]
Review: 11″ MacBook Air – The Mobile Photographer’s Laptop?
When the original MacBook Air debuted in 2008, the general reception seemed to be, “Cool – but I’ll pass.” Moreover, due to its premium price point and underpowered offerings, professional photographers didn’t even give the first generation a passing glance. On the release of the second generation of MacBook Airs in late 2010, the new [...]
Photos: Ben Folds @ The Pageant
I’ve photographed Ben Folds twice before in the past, but his most recent performance at the Pageant was the first time I caught the prolific piano man with a backing band as well. As if the assortment of instruments on stage before the band walked out wasn’t an indication enough, Ben Folds and his crew [...]
Photos: Fantasia @ The Fox
Kicking off the New Year on January 1, 2011, American Idol season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino rocked the Fox with big pipes after Kandi and Eric Benét opened the show.
The Best Photography Gifts – Holiday Gear Guide 2010
I regularly get asked for recommendations on what gear people should start out with, use, and upgrade to, so I thought that this year I’d put together a list for the holidays. Here’s my list of recommendations if you’re looking for ways to spend your hard-earned money on that best of gifts: photography equipment.
Photos: Lifehouse @ The Pageant
After Kris Allen’s performance, it was time for the main event: Lifehouse at the Pageant.
Photos: Kris Allen @ The Pageant
I love when performers go to the edge of the stage to give fans some love at the start of the show, as Kris Allen did on the big stage of the Pageant. The fans love it, it makes for great images, and it completely changing the show right out of the gate. Kris Allen [...]
Photos: Aaron Lewis @ The Pageant
Performing alone on the big stage of the Pageant on his Solo & Acoustic Tour, Aaron Lewis seemed right at home.
Preview: Aaron Lewis – Solo & Acoustic
Aaron Lewis, frontman of the rock group Staind, performing on his Solo & Acoustic tour at the Pageant. While lighting was quite low on Lewis, a combination of VR and fast f/1.4 made the most out of this treatment.
Photos: Rob Zombie @ The Halloween Hootenanny Tour
Headlining the Halloween Hootenanny Tour stop at the Family Arena, Rob Zombie and crew ripped into their set with signature zeal and showmanship. While I’d caught Rob Zombie on the Mayhem Fest tour earlier this year, I was just as excited to see what the band would bring this time around.
Photos: The Walkmen @ Off Broadway
The Walkmen rocked a sold-out Off Broadway after the Japandroids warmed the stage. After catching the Walkmen live first at the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2006 and later in 2008, I was excited to cover their live show again armed with a trio of fast f/1.4 primes. And in the dark club they played, speed [...]
Photos: Japandroids @ Off Broadway
Opening up for The Walkmen, Canadian duo Japandroids laid into a thrashing banger of a set at Off Broadway, the venue where I shot my first show. Just like that first gig, I came armed with a 50mm f/1.4 – but brought along the new Nikon 85mm f/1.4 and Niko 24mm f/1.4 for a full [...]
Preview: John 5, Rob Zombie @ The Halloween Hootenanny
Don’t tell Rob Zombie, but he always plays second fiddle for me – When I shoot a Zombie show, my favorite subject is his guitarist, John 5. Sure, Zombie has dreadwhips going for him, but there’s something magnetic about John 5′s more reserved intensity (I know, this is relative – how reserved can you be [...]
Photos: Murderdolls @ The Halloween Hootenanny
Opening up the The Halloween Hootenanny with Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie, Murderdolls put on a fantastic show that proved that showmanship trumps spastic lighting design.
Preview: Michael Franti & Spearhead
I first photographed Michael Franti & Spearhead opening for John Mayer on the Battle Studies Tour 2010, and after witnessing their high-energy show, I was excited to shoot them again at the smaller house of The Pageant. Here’s a preview from last night’s show, showing Michael Franti in usual form, engaging the audience with ease. [...]
Photos: Vampire Weekend & Beach House
Indie rock darlings Vampire Weekend brought their sunny indie pop to the big hall of the Chaifetz Arena with support from Beach House to cap off the first weekend of Rocktober 2010.
Photos: The Avett Brothers
You know it’s a good show when there are banjos being shredded. That, and that it’s an Avett Brothers show. The Avett brothers were one of the very first bands I ever photographed back in 2006, so when I heard that they were returning to the Pageant, I knew that I had to cover the [...]
Photos: Apocalyptica
Cellos, drums, and hairwhips: Apocalyptica are, as Tenacious D put it, “classically trained to rock your f***ing socks off.” I’d last photographed Apocalyptica back in 2008, and ever since I’ve wanted a chance to shoot the band again. When I heard that they were performing on a co-headlining tour with Japanese rockers Dir en grey, [...]
Photos: LouFest 2010 – Day 2
The second day of the first-ever LouFest saw bigger crowds, higher temperatures, and tons of great music, including performances by She & Him, Jeff Tweedy, Alejandro Escovedo, Fruit Bats, Cory Chisel, and more.
Photos: Avenged Sevenfold
What’s the only thing better than two guitarists mirrored in hard rock perfection, shredding for their lives? Probably when you have pyrotechnics blowing up behind them that make it look like there are flames shooting out of their guitars. Headlining Pointfest 27, Avenged Sevenfold brought the rock show to Verizon Wireless Amphitheater and a legion [...]
Photos: Brooks & Dunn, Last Rodeo Tour
Closing out twenty-years as the best-selling musical duo of any genre, Brooks & Dunn rocked the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in a big farewell show on the Last Rodeo Tour. The day of the show, I received an email from fellow music photographer Chris Bradshaw that gave me a tip-off that made some great images possible.
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