We went to see Gavin DeGraw again. This time we hung further in the back and upstairs--it wasn't as hot or stuffy, therefore I did not feel like passing out. Being upstairs also meant I had a great view of people using built-in flashes too far away from the stage. (See examples below.)
I'm such a snob, huh?
The opening act included an electric mandolin. I did not think I would ever pay to see someone play the electric mandolin...
I absolutely love craigslist (except when they delete my ads for TFCD gigs almost as soon as I post them). You can find just about anything there. I've found three fantastic hair stylists, an amazing wardrobe stylist, and some pretty cool gigs. I thought the gig for today would be just as cool. So did two other photographers and a videographer, apparently...
My understanding was that I would have 30 minutes to shoot the band leader with four girls in devil/angel theme. Whatever I wanted to do creatively was up to me. When I got there, the manager who had contacted me told me to talk to the lead singer. He was too busy. And because I had worn a white tank top, I blended in with the dozens of other girls there that night wearing white. Four models and one photographer had obviously turned into, "Tell everyone yes just in case someone doesn't show."
Before I left the house, I decided to take my ring flash with me. Unfortunately, I completely forgot that the power cord was not in the case. I packed an extension cord but no power cord... Luckily, I still had three things no other photographer there had: LV and two fast lenses.
After so many freelance gigs that require so little art direction, LV the director was unleashed on that rehearsal space. He told the lead singer to stand more at profile to my camera. The lead singer did. He told the lead singer how to pose with his back up singers, and they did it. I said I wanted all the girls on the couch. LV put them all on the couch. (This is the lighting test with the manager and the craigslist "models.") He told other photographers to get out of my way. He told the band how to stand for their group photo. They did everything he said. At one point, two other guys tried to get in there and direct the models on how to stand. LV ended up fixing the arrangement for them.
I had come into the event thinking that I would be popping and dragging, but the ceilings were so low and the room wasn't dark enough. I just turned the flash off for most of the shoot. This was turning out to be nothing like I had thought I was getting into.
The lead singer was really crazy about LV, though, so hopefully something good will come of all the time I spent on photographing them. I was there for much longer than the 30 minutes I'd been told and ended up with no credits on MySpace. I have to add that to my to-do list...
That's a beer cup being thrown around the crowd on the floor. You would think this was a really kick-ass time right? I still can't remember the name of the band. The best part of the night was getting to see a bunch of people I didn't expect to see that night. (People who also couldn't remember the name of the band.)
LV was my hand model that night. Here he is holding a beer. The last time we went to get a drink, we lost our spots on the railing. These are the shoes of the guys who jumped on those spots.
This is one of the guy's who is blocking my view. I'm assuming he was fixing an ear plug and not scooping earwax, but you never know. Either one was not something I needed to see from the guy blocking my view. LV models again as we make our exit from the show.
Hard Rock has really good lighting. I don't think I fully appreciated it until I shot at other venues. That night I appreciated it, and then we went to get dinner.
Way back, LV bought tickets to see Gavin DeGraw when he came to New York. The tickets were stuck on the fridge for almost as long as the Hannah Montana concert-movie tickets. I would always look at them and think, "That's such a bad place for them." Did I ever move them? No.
At 3:50 p.m., LV says (in an IM), "you have to remember to bring the tickets from the fridge." Yeah, yeah, sure sure. I'm trying to figure out if I want extra insurance for my Zip car, when I can pick up the card, how long I should keep my rentals, if I've set a stupid plan, if the wedding couple will tell me they just want me there for four minutes... Tickets. No problem.
I'm supposed to meet LV at 6:30. I am way more on time than usual. I have no tickets with me.
Does this matter? Will we miss the entire show? We could have stopped to make dinner at home and then gone back to the show with the amount of time it took for the opening act to actually hit the stage. We have a beer, we laugh about some best of craigslist posts, we people-watch, we talk about how great it is we got to sit for so long on the train to and from our apartment.
Landon Pigg takes the stage. A few people know who he is. Many more people take pictures. The girl in front of me takes dozens of pictures.
The cameras in the crowd are practically all the same digital point and shoot. But the knowledge of the camera settings is completely different. I don't think knowledge of your camera settings is the be all end all of great photography, but this poor sap seems to have no idea what the night flash is or why she should be popping and dragging. I was way entertained by the number of times she (essentially) took a picture of the guy in front of her.
Sure, you can see Landon's shadow from the flash, but the camera doesn't see him. Her preview kept showing the guy in front of her surrounded by black. Dozens of times. Later she pushed up close to the stage to get a dramatic picture of the microphone and piano awaiting Gavin. It would have been great. But the piano is metallic and sparkly. Did she turn off the flash? Did she use a different setting? No. Go auto-flash. She got a picture of her flash reflecting off the piano. Her friend next to her got some good pictures. Maybe her auto is better? Maybe she put it on night settings? Maybe one should have asked the other.
Unlike Landon, Gavin doesn't really hold still. His head bobs around a lot. When he was holding still, he either made a hideous face or his guitarist seemed to be giving him a death stare. I don't like the flash on my point-and-shoot, so I was kind of screwed.
So, yay, I'm taking pictures, we're having a good time. And then all of a sudden I'm way too sick to be there anymore. I was so annoyed with myself. Sure, my face felt numb and the flashing lights made me want to curl into a ball on the floor, but I should tough it out. What if he plays "Overrated" like LV requested?
I'm still mad we had to leave because I don't sweat, I just overheat. Teach me not to drink throughout a show...
Today was the loosely planned shoot for Stuntditch. It was the first fashion/portrait session for Dom, Greg, John and me, but luckily they were all willing to ham it up for the camera, which made my job easier. I can't imagine what it's like to the person on the other side of the camera when I spend three hours frowning at my LCD display. (Not the entire shoot time--just every time I look at what I've shot.) I hold myself to some slightly ridiculous standards. It's good that the people I work with don't feel the same way I do.
And this was my Coney Island lunch...
