Sophie Ellis Bexter @ GAY

So last night I drove into central London to shoot Sophie Ellis Bexter. I have to say that she was very good too, although I am questioning if my opinion is purely based on the fact that she broke the boom boom boom noise coming from the speakers. I am in fact referring to the fact that GAY is a night club that hosts a live performance on a kind of regular basis. So far I've personally photographed a whole array of artists including the wonderful Fergie from Black Eyed Peas, McFly, some page three totty, and a bunch more that I can't remember at the moment as it's very late and now I'm in my thirties (as early as I am into my thirties!) my brain doesn't work like it used to. The only thing I could do without about the GAY performances is that they begin at 1AM!!
Sophie played a good set here tonight, sounding very strong and definitely getting the best out of the crowd in front of the stage. Each song she sung had the place in a trance and there didn't seem to be many folk out there who didn't enjoy it
Tonight I also spent some time trying to get a shot of the clubbers revelling before sophie made the stage as I arrived about an hour too early. I'm not really into the dance scene so using the time to take pictures seemed to be a good idea and I think I did OK. This will be another shot for the Curry's compo with any luck.. although I'm not about to edit them shots til tomorrow as I need to get some sleep tonight!
Now I am bastard tired as it's six am. I've finished uploading the photo's of tonight's gig to FM.. or Getty... or whoever, I've had a quick brew and now I'm going to get some kip so goodnight to you all.

Another Web Update...

So I've just updated the site again. I have listened to the few people I trust for good strong feedback and amended the bits that don't work and added to the bits that do.

Firstly I have again added more piccies to the home screen. Only another ten, but enough for you all to get a different shot every now and again. Secondly, I have added the 'Our Lives' pictures to the gallery. These are shots I am taking for the Curry's Comp being held online. I made myself a rule at the offset of this competition that I would not use any stock images, or live show images. I would start again from scratch and release the results. On that note, I really don't feel that I will win, but it is good practise for me in relation to the future of my images. I love to photograph, not just music but everything. I carry my camera everywhere I go just in case that shot turns up.

As I look at the other results from this comp I have also noticed that many images are being tinted with digital messing around. This is something else that I try to avoid. When I used my 35mm more actively, and processed my own negs, digital enhancing wasn't an option. I may be stuck in the past but I strongly feel that if you need to tamper with the shot to the degree that it changes, then you need to learn to take photographs! I recently visited the offices of Getty Images (the biggest photo desk in the world) and was informed during conversation that the press are not allowed to even use filters on lens' as this is regarded as tampering with the shot! I do actually use filters for my arty stuff and such like, however a filter has never been used for any of my music stock. My dream is to feature in the realms of The World Press Photo archives so knowing info like this is priceless.

This is one of the many comps I plan on entering this year and next, so do keep one eye to the smoke and look out for my get up. If you want to vote for my Our Lives entries, then visit http://www.currysourlives.co.uk/ and search my name at the right of the screen. I'll keep you all posted when more comps arrive.

Dave Stewert @ The Tower of London.

Yep, Dave Stewert. What a legend. And with good light, and a good (yet quiet) crowd it was a good evening of festivities. He played a Eurythmics numbers during the set which brought back a few cobweb scattered memories, and some of the other stuff he's written so all in all it was a good night.

I did think I wasn't going to make it though. I fell asleep on the couch whilst waiting to go and overslept slightly. Now, I fear that here I should mention that I tend to like to sleep as all my friends know and oversleeping isn't really going to shock anyone. However I did awaken at the final hour and still manage to scamper into central London with no real hickups to speak of. So I guess the Lord was watching me tonight and he must have wanted me to see this very talented musician.

By the way, to the old fellow in the blue hatchback at around seven thirty tonight: I didn't mean to call you a shit, but you really need to know that that lane is for overtaking and if you want to drive slow get in the slow lane you shit!

Now, that's me all caught up with the diary. I will try to not let myself slip behind again. Until next time, Cheers. x

Athlete and Paul anka..

So, just to keep you all up-to-date, I seem to have fallen behind once again in my updates! Well, just for that reason, today I'm going to put two posts up!

Firstly I went to photograph the mighty Athlete this week at KOKO where they were performing to advertise the release of the forthcoming album. I have to say that this was quite ace. I do like Athlete, and this week I've re-inserted the two albums that I own into my trustee car stezza to catch up on the music and lyrics ready to sing along... Well, for all you gig snappers out there you will all know that singing along isn't really on the cards. I tend to bury myself in the work aspect of this job and kind of don't really hear the music (as silly as that sounds as I'm all of 1/2 a foot away from ten massive speakers). However, the small, pretty young photographer whom seemed to be following me around the pit didn't have this problem. I feel that she may have been a fan in disguise and boy, could she scream!!! I would usually complain to you all at this point as I do tend to feel that this is a bit rude when every other fan had to cough up to get in there, and she seemed to use the camera as an excuse to get that few inches closer to the stars, but I actually spent most of the time in the small pit laughing at this. It was kind of like visiting a Magic Roundabout show and being harassed by Zebedee!

Anyway, enough of my boinging pal, and on to the second show I need to catch up on: Paul Anka. This is a wonderful fellow, sort of famed for penning hits for Frank Sinatra among others. He was excellent. I must now point out that here I do actually mean that he was excellent as a subject to shoot, as opposed to whatever was coming out from between his lips. I loved this gig as the lighting was fantastic, the guy posed, pointed, winked and whatever else it was that he did to make a good picture. Actually, now I come to think of it, the music was good too. I know I just wrote that I don't listen to it, but when the songs are longer, and the subject is much much slower, the picture taking process is so much easier. So, I banged off a bunch during the first and second, and then took it a bit easier for the rest of the set. Besides, we actually got four songs for the event 'cos he sung the first from the audience and we weren't allowed to shoot this song for some reason.

So there are two of the shows this week. Tonight I shot Dave Stewert from The Eurythmics. I'll go make a cuppa and then tell you all about it...

Genesis & The Good, The Bad and The Queen..

It's been a hectic couple of weeks. But for now let's concentrate on my last few shows: on Sunday I went to Twickenham Stadium to shoot Genesis. Now, as I've explained to Lorraine, I have very special memories of Genesis. During my childhood my Mum formed a special bond with Genesis: That she must play there albums at such a volume the house must start to show signs of buckling before it is considered too loud. I remember being awoken to the sound of Phil Collins like he was breaking into my house, into my room to stand beside my bed and open up his lungs to the point that his veins are at break point. I was quite disappointed when I noticed Mama was quite far down the list and only the first two were allocated to photographers.

Mama, what a great track.

Anyway, onward to Monday. On Monday I shot The Good, The Bad and The Queen. This, for those of you who don't know these fellows, is Damon Albarn and his new outfit. Comprising of himself, Guitarist from The Verve, Basist from The Clash, and on.. Musically grand, lighting poor. But I was there to get pictures so pictures I'd get.

I wasn't as happy with the shots as I could've been, but they were ok. The band were great. I have put The Good, The Bad and The queen albums on my Tesco list.

Katherine Jenkins @ Tower Festival

So I've been a bit quiet lately. This isn't because I'm a lazy sod but because I'v been focusing on a few competitions just recently. I remember entering a photography competition a long time ago but didn't get very far in it so didn't really get the urge to go for any more. However, after a good few years and just about everyday since taking doing something that involves my camera's, I've finally decided to enter some compo's again and see how far I can get.

I feel that although there is room for improvement I'm not that bad and should do OK out of it eventually. Besides it's good practise for me and teaches me to use different settings to what I would usually use in the concert photography. So I'll start a new gallery option to feature the contest entries and you people can look and judge for yourselves.

Anyway, back to the real world! This week I got called to go shoot the lovely Katherine Jenkins the Welsh Soprano singer at The Tower of London Festival, in London (funnily enough). I haven't shot anyone from the operatic/classical market as yet, so didn't really know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised when I got there as the orchestra warmed up against a wonderful red curtained backdrop. When Katherine joined the stage looking rather amazing I felt quite blown away. She really did look fantastic in a long flowing ball gown, sparkling from top to toe. I don't feel pushed to rush out and buy a Katherine Jenkins CD as I do sometimes at the rock gigs, but I won't complain about this one as it was quite a relaxing affair.

I'm off to Twickenham on Sunday to shoot GENESIS as they reach the UK on this tour. I'm really looking forward to this show as my mum is a massive fan. My dad is a STATUS QUO fan so it felt good to tell him that I'd shot them twice. I'm still meant to be printing the pictures off for the old boy, but just keep forgetting! I'll get round to doing this one day, I promise dad...