Remember Me: A Photographer’s Tribute To My Chemical Romance
It didn’t really quite hit me until Saturday night as I was waiting to shoot a show that I would never be waiting in a state of peaceful anticipation for My Chemical Romance to come out onstage ever again. I was seriously bummed out that it wouldn’t ever happen again, seeing my favorite band to see/shoot set a crowd on fire with their presence live. However, the best thing about the music is the spirit of the band will never die and neither will the music. When you create something in this world that is incredibly important to so many people, it becomes timeless. I’m very excited to see what each of them have got coming in the form of different creative projects both musically and artistically, as each of them are so talented in their own unique ways. In the meantime, I have taken a small portion of those amazing memories and captured them within my camera lenses. I have a great amount of gratitude for having the privilege of shooting them, capturing that and sharing it w…
Musing Over Last Week’s Muse Show in St. Louis! Photos, Videos, Plus Exclusives!
It’s not every day that a concert photographer gets to shoot one of her favorite bands, you know. So when I was granted a pass to shoot Muse for the first time since their Resistance Tour Chicago show in 2010, I was both elated and excited to receive another chance to capture them properly. Hopefully, I did just last as my gut tells me. Their lighting always makes for interesting shots, and there was more flexibility this time around with it being a pit shoot instead of the prior tour being a soundboard shoot. Lasers in sync with guitars, a giant U-shaped LED screen encompassing the band from the floor level, mini cameras that projected the band’s images throughout the show, and a centerpiece that looked like a giant spaceship from below were part of the amazing ambience I was able to thankfully capture. However, for all of their amazing lights and wide angle shots I got, some of the tighter shots of the Matt, Chris, and Dom that I was able to get are some of my personal favorites.…
Spend Your Valentine’s Day in the Asylum with Emilie Autumn live in St. Louis!
I suppose you could classify me as a muffin of Emilie Autumn’s music and live performance. That is, in according to her fan base, a less than hard core fan, but still a fan. I’m still discovering just how brilliant and intelligent she is. Not only that, but Monday night she proved that you don’t need a giant stage to put on a great production and performance! Along with her leading ladies Veronica Varlow and Captain Maggot, she put her all for her Fight Like A Girl tour into a tiny little venue known as The Fubar in St.Louis, where I started my concert photography career shooting shows for several years back.
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Capturing The Used in all Their Vulnerability at The Pageant in St. Louis
Ha, like the pun? (Bad, I know) No, but seriously, this band has been around for over a decade and this is the first time I’ve been able to shoot them. That being said, it was both a challenge and a good experience. Lighting was difficult and sporadic at times, but that’s nothing uncommon in concert photography. The under lights gave a nice boost to the darker moments and I have to give it to ‘em that they 1. Made good use of front lighting and 2. They didn’t commit the “only dreaded red” lights that a lot of bands use. That’s enough to make me happy as a photographer. I’m still getting the feel of this crop sensor, and if you know me well enough as a photographer, you know I love capturing those more “human” moments onstage with a band. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good rock n’ roll “money shot”, but I like capturing the emotion in the eyes, the moments where they look scared, etc. etc. That wasn’t hard with frontman Bert McCracken. Much like the lyrics of The Used, there’s a myri…
Nocturnal Admissions: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals in St. Louis!
Last night’s dreary, rainy January funk was replaced with musical sunshine as Grace Potter and her band, The Nocturnals, trampled through St. Louis and played an awesome sold out show at The Pageant. I’ll say it before and I’ll say it again: I love shooting bands and discovering how they connect with their audiences live. Grace is quite the mover and the shaker. Along with her funky & talented line up, they lifted everyone’s wintery spirits.
This was my first show shooting with my new Sony a580 and new prime lenses. It’s been years since I’ve used primes and while I got spoiled with my old Canon’s full frame, the crop sensor is just something I’ll have to get used to. …
What It Feels Like To Photograph Madonna!: MDNA Comes To St. Louis
I’ll admit that I’m a longtime, huge Madonna fan. I grew up listening to her, admiring her, and being mesmerized by her ability to reinvent herself and her look and keep pushing boundaries artistically. Growing up in a very religious home, I wasn’t allowed to buy her albums, but I made every attempt to listen to her on the radio, read about her, and sneak watching her on Mtv (when Mtv actually played music videos). I think every young girl who grew up listening to Madonna in the 80′s and 90′s wanted to practically be her.
She did not disappoint at all with her lush background, extravagant dancers and costume changes, and her performance itself. St. Louis had waited 3 decades to see her in concert, and it was well beyond worth the wait. I feel very blessed I was able to photograph her and stay for the show in the coveted “Golden Triangle” pit area (the small area inside the main stage circle dedicated to fans winning competitions) and share the experience with some longtime friends.…
Never Before Seen MCR Photos Just For You…By Me.
My Chemical Romance are probably one of the few and far between bands that I can go back and comb through their photos and find new gems. Well, “old new” gems in the hundreds of shots I’ve taken of them. They may be the only. Suppose I’m just feeling nostalgic and have tour fever. The point is, I’m doing this mostly for you, the fans, the band that I love, and lastly, myself. I think it’s a good exercise in reexamining your photography when you can. These guys just happen to be the perfect combo of not just being amazing performers but also photogenic/energetic for concert photographers. …
Enchanting Glow: The Lantern Festival at Missouri Botanical Gardens
For all of you seeking a truly enchanted experience and live in the St. Louis area, stop by the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis for the Lantern Festival. This exhibition features huge sculptures lit from within and make for a photographer’s dream. Even if you aren’t a photographer you will enjoy the mesmerizing glow of these works of art. Everything from Chinese zodiac lanterns to a 4 faced Buddha, there’s something for everyone. Even the kids will love it when the centerpiece dragons located by the Chihuly sculpture pond light up, puff smoke, and play music. It’s truly romantic for the couple seeking something different for a date night as well! Scroll down and check out the gallery below! The lantern festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden runs until August 19th, so hurry quick and check it out! …
Photos of Mindless Self Indulgence live @ Pop’s in beautiful Sauget, IL!
blogger’s note: Every time a band plays a Pop’s, I make it a point to be sarcastic about the venue being located in “beautiful” Sauget, IL. Why? Because it’s nextto the slums of East St. Louis, surrounded by a plethora of titty bars. An oasis of rock in a circle of strip clubs. Hardly anything “beautiful” about Sauget, butthis venue is legendary.
So let me just start of this post with being an honest as possible without being offensive. I never thought I’d shoot an MSI show. I never had a desire to until I’d been told by multiple fans how entertaining they were and they’d announced their tour dates late last year. I’d tried to listen to their music previously many times and had found myself feeling indifferent to it. I thought I’d officially reached that early 30-somethings where I’m no longer hip with the young crowd and what they’re listening to. As a music lover and a photographer, there are aesthetics that you appreciate differently when you see a live show. I don’t necessaril…
Jane’s Addiction & their sold out show in St. Louis!
Well, well…every once in a while, you get to relive your past through present shows. I felt like I’d achieved my gen-x lifetime goal of seeing Jane’s Addiction live last night; not only that, but being able to photograph them was the added bonus. I normally don’t get starstruck while shooting, but being that close to Perry Farrell was quite surreal and fascinating. His and the band’s energy was quite infectious last night as they played the sold out show at The Pageant. Even if you’re not a former gen x-er, you should still catch these guys on tour and witness an important band in rock history. Not only that, but the stage presentations of dancing bettys in leather and retro cheesecake strippers on LCD screens are enough to give some of today’s more brash pop acts a run for their money (not that Jane’s Addiction needs the extras onstage; they merely add to their killer performances).
Click here to see all the photos from last night’s show at The Pageant in St. Louis!
