Neal Preston – Exhilarated and Exhausted Trailer Extended
Realised I’ve not posted on my blog in over a year! (Well a year yesterday)
Of late I post my photos to Instagram.
And have developed my main website to more of a portfolio site.
So will continue to use this blog just to post items of interest – mostly found elsewhere.
So here’s one – a video trailer for a Music Photography book by Neal Preston.
I first found out about him from a Matthias HTBARP podcast.
Have ordered the book 🙂
Grunge & 90s Style Mags : Video
Been a while since I blogged anything – mostly as I’ve not had the time – covered (photography) a couple of London Music festivals and have other editing I’m way behind on. Will likely post some of these in time.
During my lunchtimes I often read photography (or related) blogs, news feeds and such like which sometimes include videos. One that’s not usually photography related (iD Magazine YouTube upload feed) has recently featured a video which covers photography and fashion of the 90s Grunge scene. Thought I’d share.
It’s part of a series on UK youth culture:
Episode 1: Grime & Emo – http://bit.ly/1eCWMxP
Episode 2: Jungle & Cybergoth – http://bit.ly/1UvT0XU
Episode 3: Grunge & 90s Style Mags – http://bit.ly/1K5gNL7
Episode 4: B-Boys, Ibiza & Acid House – http://bit.ly/1Dq3FIO
Episode 5: Soul Boys & Casuals – http://bit.ly/1Mk4xqI
Episode 6: Skins & Scooter Boys – https://youtu.be/5PpAWL1FVxY
Gig: Olly Murs, Ella Eyre + Bright Sparks
A set from my second event at The O2 Arena – this time Olly Murs plus guests.
This was the first event I’ve been to with a runway of sorts. We were warned initially that we’d have to stay at the front as pyrotechnics would be going off towards the back of the stage. Alas I missed photographing them going off – Boo! I just had my camera down for a fraction of a second.
At the O2 – you can’t take your camera bag into the arena – you have to leave it back stage. Last time I had a lens bag on my belt but I forgot it this time. A lot of photographers often have two bodies, especially from the main agencies – but I can’t justify that. The lens case I use for these things doesn’t really work well – belt loop too low on it – so I might look to buy some alternative option.
Olly Murs show was a great spectacle – great stage lighting/ background graphics.
Ella Eyre was great – struck me as a cross between Amy Winehouse and Lauryn Hill. listening to her on Spotify -0 sounds very Amy Winehouse but then there are lots of Housy remixes.
Olly Murs
Ella Eyre
Bright Sparks
All Rights Reserved. Images can be licensed from Photoshot.
Gig: Carl Barât & The Jackals, Asylums + Trampolene
Last week I covered a last minute gig as another photographer couldn’t cover it. Headliners was Carl Barât (of The Libertines) & The Jackals. Was at Scala which I usually enjoy – but on this ocassion it was really tricky – Scala has a pit but is quite narrow. Usually it’s fine with 3 or 4 of us – but on this occasion there were 8-9 of us! Also lighting was really dark and the odd pint would get chucked over!.
Carl Barât & The Jackals
http://carlbaratandthejackals.com
https://www.facebook.com/carlbarat
https://twitter.com/carlbaratmusic
Asylums
http://www.asylumsband.com/
https://twitter.com/Asylumsband
https://www.facebook.com/asylumsuk
Trampolene
http://www.trampolene.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/trampoleneofficial
https://twitter.com/trampolene_band
All Rights Reserved – Images can be licensed through Photoshot
Gig: Hunter and the Bear + Rothwell
Another gig at Dingwalls.
A previous gig there was VERY hard for me – there was lots of back-lighting, I was told that I could use flash – but I’d taken my flash out of the bag that morning! ha fail. Since then the flash has stayed in the bag even though I don’t expect to use it. Dingwalls has no pit – but this time the crowd were a lot easier to move through.
That previous gig was a metal one – this was quite different – what I guess you could call Indie Folk rock.
Although musicians might not like comparisons – I think it’s a natural thing to do – and in that respect – the tracks that Hunter and the Bear have on spotify are quite in vein with Mumford and Sons – however live I found them to be much more up-tempo. The fully acoustic song they did – a rendition of “Wounded” ( for a friend of theirs who had been taken ill (but is getting better) ) to a silent club was seriously emotionally beautiful – verging on tear-jerking. I took a couple of photos of them all standing away from mics – but then put the camera away as everybody else had. As it turned out – the lights weren’t great for that shot anyway.
Support was Rothwell – a lovely singer songwriter solo artist. I usually find that soloists don’t keep the attention of the crowd – but she did a great job.
Hunter and the Bear
Hunter and the Bear – on Spotify
Twitter; Facebook ; Website
Rothwell
Rothwell on Spotify
Twitter ; Facebook ; Website
Gig: Rival Sons & London Souls
Haven’t put all my Gig Photography sets of late – been a tad busy, but thought I’d put this one up.
Continues the run of metal/rock events at the Roundhouse.
In the past I’ve said how much I enjoy photographing gigs here – lighting is usually great, or good at least, and there’s a decent sized pit. On this occasion though there was a  LOT of smoke for the support act – The London Souls, combined with LOTS of blue lighting. Took a fair bit of tweaking both in camera Raw and in Photoshop to stop those shots from being a washed out blue mess.
London Souls were good – only a guitarist and drummer. He has amazing skill and reminds me of Hendrix (an analogy many people have likely made – on skill alone ignoring the hair). Alas the songs they have on Spotify don’t really reflect this. I couldn’t help think that it would have been better – a more full sound with more musicians.
Rival Sons
The London Souls
©2015. All Rights reserved. Images (these + more) can be licensed through Photoshot.
A video (not mine or from this show) showing some great London Souls music:
Gig: Placebo + The Mirror Trap
A few photos from last nights Placebo gig at Hammersmith (Eventim) Apollo.
The last time I was there we had to shoot from the back as it was an all seater event – but on this occasion there was a barrier/pit so shot from there. Lighting was a little tricky – a spot pointing down at Brian Molko from a steep angle most of the songs we could shoot (only 2) – which meant out of camera the face was very bright and the rest very dark. Also did no favours with shadow in the eye sockets – but you have to go with what you’re given.
Placebo
The Mirror Trap
All Rights Reserved – images can be licensed from Photoshot.
