Hello everyone, I know it’s been a while but I’m back from a hiatus. Since my last post, I’ve been still out shooting lots and lots of music and running my digital marketing agency – GRT2 Studios.

I guess the two biggest shows I photographed were Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers at The House of Blues in Las Vegas and Jimmy Eat World at The Rialto Theater in Tucson, AZ. Both were lots of fun with a lot of energy.

Vegas, well Vegas is Vegas and if I’m sure I have some good stories to tell – once I remember them. I do know this, RCPM played for over three hours and rocked about 39 to 41 songs. It was a great way to spend Labor Day weekend.

Jimmy Eat World played Tucson on Monday September 27th with one of my favorite bands We Were Promised Jetpacks. (see previous Jetpacks post) The place had a lot of energy and both bands really brought it for the crowd. I really like escaping to Tucson for music events whenever possible.

What’s Next?

That’s a great question. I have shot a lot of photos lately for commercial clients through GRT2 Studios. Mostly head shots and other marketing photography. In comparison the compensation for marketing photography is better but it also comes with a whole different set of responsibilities and expectations. Still photography though, so it’s still fun.

So, I’m back and ready to keep this blog updated once a week or as topics of discussion come up. Thanks for ready everyone!

Every photographer who shoots live music fights with the stage lighting. I don’t care who they are, they do. Knowing and understanding light makes the difference in photos.

During my RCPM Mexico Trip with Chadwick Fowler we talked a lot about light. Good lighting, bad lighting, flash settings, ambient light – you name it. He is someone who gets it and can covey the importance of proper lighting.

Conversely, I am not that technical of a photographer, which admittedly is a shortcoming. With that being disclosed, here is what I can share with you about concert light and stage lighting.

When I photograph live music I look for patterns in the stage lighting. Many venues even use programmed lighting, which makes it much easier to predict lighting patterns.

I try to look for white spotlights with colorful backlighting. Many times this light combination will give you the dramatic photograph that puts your audience at the concert. The other combination I look for is blue and green spotlights with white back lighting. This also works really well. Look for patterns that work for you and your equipment. (Example of white spotlights with a colorful background – Kid Rock Country Thunder / Florence, AZ.)

Now the bad. Red stage lights are the most difficult to work with. The red lighting is so powerful to the camera’s sensor that it often overpowers everything else. This doesn’t mean that you can’t work with it, it just means that it may take some time, practice and patience. (Here’s my favorite concert photo taken with red lights – Roger Clyne New Year’s Eve / Phoenix, AZ.)

Like anything, photography takes a lot of work and practice – music photography especially. When I photograph music I may take as many as 600 photos, of which I really like 15 - of which 4 are great. Be patient, practice as often as possible, look for lighting patterns and strive to capture the emotion of the performance.

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think. Thanks everyone for reading!

(This is more of a personal post – Thursday’s post will talk about Music Photography and Stage Lighting)

It’s been a whirlwind since I returned from Circus Mexicus earlier in the month. I have been trying to balance my new company – GRT2 Studios, Life & Art plus our project of passion The Music Matters Project.

The good news is that everything is going amazingly well. GRT2 Studios is off to an amazing start (GRT2 Studios is a Digital Marketing Agency specializing in Digital Content Creation) and I feel especially blessed. Life is moving along at a fast pace which is fine for now and I completely understand that this is what I signed up for. The Music Matters Project is winding down its submission period and has been so well received that it’s awesome.

On the other hand, the bad news is that I haven’t picked up my camera since returning from Mexico. I’ve done plenty of editing and viewing submissions but no creating photographs.

As part of my business model for GRT2 Studios we offer our clients photography and video services. Since we pride ourselves on being DIGITAL CONTENT AGENTS, so we specialize in media rich content. HD Video, Stills and editing all with the end result of marketing metrics in mind.

There are a couple of amazing opportunities coming up that will have me on the creative side of the camera very soon. Most notably, I’ve been selected to shoot STERN SAVAGE and the ASH Music crew on three occasions in July – two live performances and one studio session.

So, I guess that’s the update. All is good, all is busy and I am grateful. Thanks for your time – ‘Here’s to Life!!! I will be returning to making photographs very soon.

(Like I mentioned please stay tuned for Thursday’s post on Music Photography and Stage Lighting)

We are down to the wire! Submissions of your music photos for The Music Matters Project need to be received by July 1,2010. We are overwhelmed by everyone’s participation and want this last week to rock!

So far we have over 150 submission from all over the world but it’s not too late for you to submit your music photos for the project! Photos can still be sent to: submissions@musicmattersproject.org

It’s amazing how diverse the photos we’ve received have been. Photographers have sent us photos of everyone from Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers,The Grateful Dead, Jane’s Addiction, DIO to our new friend Angie Stevens.

If you want a sneak preview of some photos being considered please head over to The Music Matters Flickr Pool.

What’s next: The Music Matters Project Team will put out a one (1) week call for submissions for any candid photos you took of you and your friends at any concert or music event. We feel that this gives everyone a chance at having their photo published in The Music Matters Project Vol. 1.

So, please pay attention for our announcement coming soon!

A big thanks goes out to everyone for everything, this project has been so much fun and we look forward to making an awesome contribution to Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

“Well here comes another post (song) about Mexico…” Not really.

What can I say that hasn’t been said about Circus Mexicus. I’ve always said that Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers is the hardest working band in the music business but that also extends to crew members and to everyone’s family. Kudos to everyone.

Being in Puerto Penasco was awesome. Being a new small business owner and being asked to join one of the most talented photography and video teams I’ve ever seen was just amazing. I kept repeating a line from Clerks – “I’m not even supposed to be here.”

Chadwick Fowler had a vision for the project and he and his assistant Eric Fullmer directed Sergio Gastelum and myself with what needed to be done. I literally pulled up to Sunset Cantina met the guys and had my camera in hand firing shots within 20 minutes of arrival.

We photographed a full night of music on Friday, Beach Soccer and the concert on Saturday only to return to JJ’s Cantina to shoot Mananathon on Sunday.

I left Tempe looking to have Fun, Collaborate and come back as a better Photographer. Working under Chadwick was a great experience. What I learned about strobes and lighting made the trip worth while. Seriously, if you ever have an opportunity to work with someone who knows their shit about lighting – do it.

Here’s what has been the hardest part of the whole experience – I was part of a team and I shot some photographs that I am extremely proud of. Typically, they would have been released by now but as part of the agreement to join the project the images are to be released as part of the whole package. I understand what I signed up for but it’s been harder than anticipated.

Our project goes into post production this week with an ambitious deadline. Just like everyone else I can wait to see the final product and I can’t wait to do it all over again.

A last minute photo/video assignment came up on Tuesday that has me headed to Rocky Point, Mexico this morning. Chadwick Fowler, one of the people who holds the bar for music photography, asked me to assist him on an ambitious project he is working on for RCPM.

The magnitude of this project is larger than anything I’ve ever worked on and the only time I’ve worked a series of events as a team. I am headed to Mexico, ego aside to work on something special. This project falls perfectly in line with my model of collaboration – I love it.

Circus Mexicus is a weekend of festivities hosted by Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers. We will be working a preliminary show at JJ’s Cantina with all the opening bands, a beach soccer tournament, the main show Saturday night at Changos and then we’ll return to JJ’s for the “Hangover Bash.” I said it was ambitous.

The expectations I have for the weekend are to have some fun, learn a lot, come back a better/smarter photographer, devise a comprehensive PR strategy for the project and GRT2 Studios plus make something we are all extremely proud of afterwards

¡Adios amigos!

When I think about photography I get an overwhelming sense of freedom. Freedom to be who I want to be and capture whatever I want to capture.

There are no rules. There are no laws. There are merely suggestions to follow regarding lighting, composition and equipment. I don’t know if anything else I am engaged in is so limitless. (Click here for 10 principles of beautiful photography)

Some months my schedule will be very music intensive. (Here are examples of my concert photography) Sometimes it will be client intensive. Other times it’s wide open.

Even when I am on assignment there is still an immense amount of freedom. I can interpret my subjects however I want. Most times my interpretations are aligned with client expectation. Key thing is that they know what to expect from my work and are ok with my interpretations.

Yeah, to me it’s a freedom like no other. Some people like to get in a car and drive down the highway with the windows open and others experience freedom at the beach or in the mountains. My sense of freedom comes in those places too – but my camera is there with me.

I’m often asked – How many photos of a concert is appropriate to post? Great question. My 100% honest answer is – I don’t know. I don’t know what is right for you but I’ll share what I do.

I have three channels to “push out” my photographs. When I say “push out” I am referring to a post on a general forum whether it be Facebook, Twitter or Flickr. Someplace where I am inviting the general public and fans of the bands to go and view my work.

Almost all of the photos I “push out” are hosted on Flickr. From a storage and accessibility standpoint I really put Flickr to work for me. (It almost always hosts all the images I use in my articles also.) My rule of thumb for Flickr is no more than five (5) photos per concert. (I broke this rule with my RCPM New Year’s Eve photos I posted ten – but that was an extra special concert.)

I think five is a good number. It’s not too many, it’s not too few. You can display shots with different lighting, different movement and use different composition plus highlight different band members. I don’t think you run a high risk of losing viewers by displaying five photographs.

Here’s an analogy: Have you ever been bored to death watching someone else’s vacation slideshow? It’s the same principle.

When it comes to Facebook I post only one or two photos. (If multiple bands are playing then it’s two or three of each band.) The last thing you want to do is inundate your friend’s Facebook stream with your photos and your banter. The same holds true with Twitter. I’ll tweet with links to of my best photos and let people find the other photographs. In some instances, if your photos are really good – other people will be happy to post them for you.

When it comes to my professional portfolio (www.grtaylor2photo.com) I only post the very best shot (singular, meaning one) from the event to my concert photography gallery. That’s it. Nothing less than perfect.

My portfolio is a means for me to secure photo jobs. This is not a place for my friends can see what they missed the night before.

Again, like everything else these are the general guidelines that I use. I use them because it works for me. How do you handle posting your photographs? Do you post them all or just a set number? Leave a comment – let’s talk about it.

When I say framing photographs I am not referring to a photo in a rectangular shaped piece of wood or metal. (If you want more info on that kind of framing head to my friend Rocky Vertone’s shop in Jackson Hole, WY by clicking here.) I am talking about mentally composing an image or “framing” the image before you ever pick up your camera.

Framing (or mental composition) is so important in making great photographs but I never hear it talked about. In this post I’ll discuss two different situations where I use this effective technique.

Situation #1: When I arrive on location of a photo shoot I try to survey the “lay of the land”. Meaning I make myself slow down and take notice of my surroundings and what’s around me. This technique is especially helpful with Landscape Photography and Portraiture work but equally as important in my Concert Photography.

I try to look at everything through my photographer’s eye before ever looking through the lens. I think about what I see and ask – How will this look hanging in my living room? How will this look hanging in a gallery? Will this make a great photograph?

When things start to take shape and I can see the photo I make sure I have a clear picture in my mind. I then take to the camera and set out to recreate the photograph. A tripod is helpful in transferring the mental image to the camera. (Believe me.)

With Concert Photography I take a slightly different approach. When I set out to photograph a band I am unfamiliar with I turn to video. YouTube is a great resource for watching live music performances.

Here’s a perfect example: I photographed Mickey Avalon in November 2009. I knew of Mickey Avalon and knew one or two songs but nothing more than that. I turned to YouTube and watched this performance video of Mickey Avalon. (“Jane Fonda” live music video) I mentally composed some images and ultimately shot these live photos at the concert. (Mickey Avalon 1 & Mickey Avalon 2)

If it’s someone I have photographed before I think about the stage lights, how the artists move on stage and what shots have been successful in the past.

Are you following me so far?

Situation #2: The technique of framing photographs can also be a huge help to jump start the creative process. This process is very powerful when you can mentally compose the photo and then seek the photograph. Some of my favorite photographs have been composed in my head before I got to the location or even knew where the location was. This process helped me numerous time but most notably with my self-portrait in Papago Park. (link to photo – link to FOCUS episode #2) I am 100% an admitted daydreamer – this is one of the few times in life it has paid off.

I presume master painters and sculptors have a little something in mind before they begin their process - Why not do the same with photography? After all the very basic definition of photography is “drawing with light.” (wikipedia source) Give yourself a chance of making a great photo by pre-visualizing the photograph.

Does anyone else use these practices? What other techniques do you use to frame or mentally compose your photographs? Add your two cents, leave a comment.

Approximately 30 minutes after Willie Nelson finished his set Kid Rock took the stage. I saw Kid Rock last year at the Tempe Music Festival (which no longer exists) and I was totally impressed with his talent – singing, rapping, playing piano, guitar, drums and even a DJ set. I was totally looking forward to this set.

Judging by my past experience I thought all hell was going to break loose when Kid hit the stage. This wasn’t the case at Country Thunder. Kid’s set was a little more mellow with a country flav than the last set in Tempe. I mean it was Country Thunder after all…

Nevertheless, it was great. He ran through all the songs you expected to hear plus a rearranged version of Cowboy before ending with Bawitaba.

Anytime I get the chance to photograph an artist of this stature it’s always fun. I was one of eight approved photographers for this set so there wasn’t a lot of jostling for position at the front of the stage. (Thanks to the jackass from the AZ Republic – I wish I knew your name because I’d publish it here –  for checking my credentials and then asking security to do the same. The professional courtesywas appreciated – asshole.)

The stage lighting was consistent throughout the set with heavy red and white light mix. There were some changes and I just had to rely on experience and patience to know what light worked best.

Everyone thinks that when you only get three songs to shoot you need to rush through the shoot and photograph everything. With me that’s not the case, I try to exercise even more patience. If I know my settings and equipment like I should, I can wait for the shots to come and they usually do.

The principles of concert photography are always the same whether I’m in an arena, club, outdoor festival or in a small bar – know your light. Some lighting situations play better than others but that’s learned with experience over time. Go photograph music often and you’ll get the gist of it.

A lot of respect for the Country Thunder team, Pima County DPS, security etc. for doing a fantastic job putting on a great event. I can’t say that enough.

If you have any questions about music photography, landscape photography, portrait photography or processing images – please leave a comment and I will publicly answer them all. Thanks to everyone for reading.

Next Post: Framing Photographs