Dead Letter Circus @ The Zoo

Last Tuesday night I was given an opportunity to do something I loved - photography, AND go to a concert I would have paid to attend regardless of a photo-pass! Dead Letter Circus are one of my favourite bands. One of my first entries in this blog is about a gig of theirs I shot in Noosaville.

The only downside was...the venue. I am not a big fan of The Zoo (Fortitude Valley, Brisbane) It's small, dark and not very well ventilated. Also it never has a barrier. Ever. Not even when DLC's show is sold-out and their fans are some o the nuttiest I've met! Haha. So it really was a zoo.

I staked out my spot early (I always enter The Zoo from the back alley now...so much better than lining up on the side of a busy street at 8pm in the Valley) and stayed put for the two support acts (Closure in Moscow and Wolves - one VERY rude bassist in CIM! Little punk...I've got a very unflattering photo of you...muhaha) and by the time DLC hit the stage...Whoa. Talk about COMPRESSION! Lol.

Warning signs were pasted all around the place about the use of strobes during the night. Let me tell you - strobe lights are NOT good for photography. Unless there is a lot of other light. Which at The Zoo, there isn't! Not that I'm complaining (much...) I would have braved just about any venue to shoot/hear DLC - I love them.

So here we are, one very technicolour shot of lead singer, Kim Benzie - and a hand.

Bronchitis, Shift, Greazefest and a new toy!

Lots of stuff happening lately. LOTS. Perfect time to be sick!

As the title suggests...I've been unwell. This has made work, home life and photographing not fun! Happened to coincide with a coouple of important shoots...but Sudafed and me made it through the wilderness. Mostly unscathed.

I was lucky enough to be allowed, once again, to photograph at Shift event. I did last year also. Shift is an event put togetehr by the lovely folks over at Bridgeman Baptist Community Church. It features live music, BMX riding/stunts and basically a lot of fun. I loved it.

The very next day, I was set to shoot Greazefest, an annual Rockabilly / Kustom Kulture festival held in the Rocklea Showgrounds. Now THAT was an experience. Having done Easterfest 3 years running, I thought I knew what to expect. Boy was I wrong! Pin-up girls and retro guys, amazingly restored/maintained cars from as early as the 1920s, fantastic music and basically a lot going on!




As the title also suggested, I gots me a new toy! (thanks Mr Tax Man) finally, my own flash. An SB-900. After much research (Do I REALLY need the top-of-the-line speedlight? Erm yes I do) and debate, I finally blew it all on the pick of the bunch. Also the only speedlight I've ever used (borrowed/hired on previous occasions)

Phew! That was all a week or two ago. 'm mostly well again now, which is great because I have a shoot tonight! Dead Letter Circus. One of my FAVOURITE bands. Pumped!

Bertie and Me

Just thought I'd share this photo of Bertie and myself. I had just arrived home from attending a friend's wedding and Bertie was so happy to see me, I couldn't resist picking him up and getting hubby to take a photo of us both :)

A Different Kind of Concert...

A couple of weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to photograph the lovely Claire Bowditch. Together with Lanie Lane, Clare put on a brilliant show at the Old Museum in Brisbane. Totally unlike any other concert I've been to, it was part music concert, part comedy act, and just plain fun! Never seen so much audience participation. At one stage Clare and Lanie both brought out their 'alter egos' and THAT was funny!

The challenges in photographing were a bit different than I'm used to. There was the usual 'bad lighting' but also a new one of 'don't be conspicuous!' As there was only one or two people on stage all night, and the audience was only about half-a-foot below the stage...it was all so intimate that any noise or movement from me (or the other photographer there that night) would attract the attention of the punters, the singer/s and (gulp) the promoter.

So I did my three songs worth of shooting, then moved to an upper level (kind of a mezzanine) for a couple more, then took my place beside my ticket-purchasing friend in the front row. Heh.

GREAT show, preceded by GREAT pizza at The Bank in the Valley.Will upload a photo soon!