A beginner shoots a gig part 2 - after

Ok post gig round up.

Mistakes I made. Setting the ISO too low. I was shooting at iso1600 to begin with. Consequently my shutter speed was at around 1/40 or slower. Lots of blur for the first band, which is a shame as they were very good. I managed to salvage some of the slight movement ones by mono’ing them. Hides a multitude of sins, bish, bash, bosh. Job done.
Next mistake. Not checking the state of my lens. After about an hour, lots of lens smear. Anecdotally I think this was affecting the speed of my auto focus. Might be a load of nonsense, but when I cleaned the lens (for once having a cleaning cloth with me. More by luck than judgement) the autofocus seemed to me to be a lot more responsive.
Next Mistake: Not being ballsy enough. First couple of bands I was being nice and polite, swapping places with other photographers, so they could get my vantage point, trying not to get in the way of the fans (being over six foot tall, this is not always easy). Second band on had lots of fans up close and personal, and I was worried about a) upsetting them, and b) damaging my lens. By the third band all this went out the window, and I was weaving amongst the moshers, avoiding getting crushed by failing crowdsurfers, and knealing in a manner of spilt alcohol, getting those attractive up nostril shots.
Last notable mistake: not getting to talk to the bands. This is difficult on these shows where there are lots of bands on in short succession. You could be having a great chat with the musicians only to realise the next band are nearly through their set. I always try and track down the bands in the following days, and most tend to be on facebook. If I can I share a set from flickr. This is cool for me it’s quite gratifying when people give you good feedback, and the bands are often pleased to get photos from the gig to use on their pages, websites etc.

What has been nice at these gigs is some others taking photographers chatting asking advice (are they crazy, I don’t know anything, hahaha), comparing equipment etc. Photographers can be a lonesome species, even in the staid confines of local clubs, they tend to sit in uncomfortable church hall chairs, staring unblinking at a succession of images of steam trains and cut flowers, never actually talking about photography (oh no drifting into a rant, yikes, forgive me).

Well before this post meanders to far from it’s source, lets divert it quickly to it’s destination. I really enjoy gig photography. You get to hear lots of new music, some good, some great, some not so polished. I have a picture going into a local paper (apparently, although I don’t have any evidence of this), another photographer/promoter has given me a website credit on the band they promote, and another of the band has asked if I would like to help them do some promo shots.

If you love music, have a go, see what you can do. Above all else don’t get despondent if you get a lot of blurred photos. I delete far more than I can use.

Go and have fun with it!!

A beginner shoots a gig – Part 1 before

chris 001
Originally uploaded by Rob Johnstone

I class myself as a beginner. My work is still inconsistent, I am only shooting local gigs, and compared to the superb work of many of the contacts I have made on Flickr, I have a long way to go.

Tonight’s venue is my usual haunt, The Horn in St. Albans. This evening is the final of their twice yearly Battle of the Bands competition. St. Albans has spawned some breaking bands over the past few years, and this competition has seen winners like Enter Shikari (Spelling?!?), The Subways and Friendly Fires. I cut my teeth shooting what turned out to be the winners of the previous BOTB, namely Waiting for Katherine.

I have seen a couple of the finalists, Billy Skins Fifth, and Evergreen. Both of these are strong acts. The other two I haven’t had the pleasure.

My kit tonight will be my trusty Canon 400D and 17-55mm. I might take my flash along in case I stay to see they winners receive their prizes, but it’s a late one, and I have work in the morning. Modus operandi will be to shoot on ISO 1600 , f2.8, and probably be lazy and stick to AF. The lens is way quicker than I am, and it can nearly see in the dark. I have trouble in full daylight. If you want to check out my previous efforts they can all be found on my flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/axemanrj I welcome comments, advice, etc.

I will post the results there tomorrow hopefully, and write part 2 of this blog entry.

Wish me luck

Run, Forrest, run!!

Trainers
Originally uploaded by Rob Johnstone

I have started running. Not in the Forrest Gump sense, or indeed in the Steve Ovette sense. Just running, or as I like to denigrate it to; power jogging. In fact this is more often than not just jogging, or stumbling. My wife, Jane, runs, my stepson James runs, and even my step daughter Kathryn now runs, all doing far faster miles than I can. I have been doing my little jaunts for a little over a month. I have managed to extend my distances, and can now just about do four miles without slowing to an official walk. Why do I do this? It's not to compete in races like the others in my family, who have collection of competition medals growing at a reasonable rate. It's not to raise money for charity! No, I run to try and get fitter. I am naturally sedentary, and have mortgaged my health and fitness over the last forty odd years to support my hobby of couch potatoeness. However all good things tend to come to an end, and so does my lazy streak, if a 43 year period could be called a streak. I had radiotherapy a few years ago, which I had been told might affect my lungs, so in a attempt to preempt this, I am bringing those bags of air up to full throttle. They don't like it much, and my legs do not understand why they have to get dragged into the whole affair.
Now for the record I do not like running, however I do like the stats that my phone application feeds to me. The best one being the amount of burgers I have burned. To make running easier I immerse myself in music, of more recently, and more helpfully, audio books. Why people nattering in my ears helps I do not know but it does.
Things I like about running: it's nice to get out in the fresh air; I have seen lots of foxes and other wildlife on my runs; erm that’s it.
Things I don't like about running: running; nettle stings, although I'm getting used to these and getting to get a buzz from it. Could it be a new fetish?; running with the runs is not pleasant, and thus apologies go to anyone trampoing through woods near my house. That brown foot long streak may have been from me, sorry.
I think my running is now a routine, and so will carry on. Will I grow to like it? (whispers)probably, but don't tell anyone ok?!?

St. Albans Half Marathon 2011

St. Albans Half Marathon 2011, a set on Flickr.

This weekend our tribe braved the British summer wind and rain to go and be part of the St. Albans Half Marathon. Jane (lovely wife) was running her second race at this distance, and had been coaching some friends over the past twelve weeks. We know quite a few people taking part, most of them forming a group called Team Bolam. This was put together in memory of a friend, Kevin Bolam, who sadly died from bowel cancer earlier in the year. His wife, Caroline, formed the team as a fundraising event to raise money and awareness for charity Beating Bowel Cancer. Many of the team had never run a race event before. Along with the runners, the team fielded some power walkers for the separate walking half marathon. These brave souls started at eight in the morning, and had to endure much more of the horrible weather conditions
Jane has also helped Jackie, one of our neighbours to prepare for the race. Jackie is raising money to help children with autism, along with her husband Jim, who is a seasoned runner.
Our son, James, also ran his second half marathon, and did us proud when he stormed in at a time of 2 hours and 8 seconds. He is of course recieving much ribbing about the 8 seconds, but we are all very impressed, and proud of his achievement.
The rest of us cocked a snoot at the rain by sheltering under a tree for an hour or so to cheer on all the runners. Despite being a grotty day weather wise, I think everyone had an amazing time, with emotions running high. They all did amazingly, and are such an inspiration!

Sheringham

Sheringham, a set on Flickr.

These are a few snapshots of my recent weekend away in Sheringham. Sheringham is a small town on the north coast of Norfolk in England. The town is not as commercialised as many of England's seaside resorts, and is separated from the numerous caravan parks by the natural hills in which it nestles, most notably Beeston Hill, which dominates one side of the town, and is the reason for much aching in my calf muscles at the end of the weekend. The beach was a little shy as it seemed to be high tide much of the time that I was there. The town has made the best of having to live with sea defences against coastal erosion. The local schools have adorned the vast concrete walls with murals depicting the sealife, and the towns maritime heritage. Lobster fishing appears to be the local specialism, with the snappy creatures emboldied in the finest fibreglass all over the town. Highlights of the town of Sheringham? Well the chocolate fish making machine in the window of the fudgetastic sweet shop is a must, along with the fake Banksy Queen picture on a disused burger kiosk, but for my son, the best place is the vintage computer game shop adjacent to the steam railway station, a veritable museum for long forgotten consoles. Go and visit Sheringham, it's a nice little town. The weather can be a bit wild, but that brings out the surfers, and what can be more avocative than waves crashing remorselessly against the ravaged coastline.